Lies
by Kakashihasnicearms
Summary: Truth and lies define the shinobi world. In Konoha, lies are filling up the air and there's only so much room for them all. For every truth there is a lie and a shinobi encounters these lies as he protects Konoha, no matter how many lies it has, even if he ends up in a pool of blood for Konoha's sake.
1. Demon

Lies filled the air until it was impossible to breath. In order to not drown, what do you do? You find the truth, no matter how dark it may be, no matter how many people would kill you if you knew their secrets. Uzumaki Naruto knew this well.

* * *

><p>Lie no.1: Demon<p>

Uzumaki Naruto wore a white shirt sporting the Uzumaki crest in red. Kunai made his pocket have some weight and the other pocket was light despite the fact it did have a good amount of money.

This money was for Naruto and his younger brother's survival. Well, survival made it seem too serious. Naruto could easily get a job to pay for expenses of living in an apartment and other expenses by extension: water, gas, electricity, etc.

Naruto usually cooked. He wasn't great at it. He wasn't about to open a restaurant like Teuchi and Ayame did, two people his brother _adored. _However, he didn't burn things…anymore. To be fair, though, the one thing he still couldn't make without burning was takoyaki, a ball-shaped snack usually with a piece of octopus inside.

Today was his brother's fourth birthday. He loved anpan, bread filled with sweet red bean paste. So Naruto decided to make it. It didn't look hard; the cookbook his mother had left behind with detailed notes in neat handwriting made it seem easy.

Naruto slipped on his shoes and stood. He heard his brother's loud footsteps slowly making their way towards him. Naruto turned around.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going out," Naruto said, giving a soft smile.

"But you promised me you were going to train me today," the four-year-old argued.

Naruto sighed. He gestured for the boy to come over, which he gladly did. Just as he was about to hug Naruto, Naruto poked his forehead.

"Hey!" Takahiro glared.

"Sorry, Takahiro, maybe later," Naruto said and walked out, closed the door behind him, and locked it.

Naruto walked down the stairs down to street level. He began walking towards the merchant district.

It was sunny today despite a few clouds. Naruto's red hair was bright in the sun. He had dyed it but the dye wore off within a day. It didn't really work well for stealth missions. He was already interesting since everyone knew who his parents were and he'd graduated on a team with Uchiha Itachi. Currently, only Naruto and Itachi did missions together. Their female teammate had died three years ago on a mission that had been originally ranked B-Rank, but was actually supposed to be an A-Rank. It was then that Itachi had unlocked his Sharingan.

It wasn't that Itachi liked her; it was simply the fact the two had found her mutilated body stripped of skin and kunai sticking out of many parts of her body.

That day, Naruto had unlocked an Uzumaki kekkei genkai as well: chakra chains. The girl, Keiko, her killer had come out of the shadows to the two Genin. Naruto and Itachi had been nearly depleted on chakra and Itachi had passed out from unlocking the Sharingan and shock of seeing Keiko's body like that. Then, chains erupting from his back raced towards the killer, who had been overly confident against the Uchiha's heir and the Yellow Flash's son. Naruto had tightened the chains so tightly it had ripped the man to shreds.

"Hi."

Naruto turned and saw Itachi walking next to him. Itachi gave Naruto a meaningful look. Naruto sighed.

Itachi signed in Konoha's silent language with his hands: _What's wrong?_

Naruto smoothed his hair with a hand. _I was just getting some things to make for Takahiro and I thought about Keiko._

_But you know that was so long ago._

_I know. That day really changed our lives, huh?_

_You mean our kekkei genkai? Have you ever told Hokage-sama?_

_No. _

Itachi and Naruto walked into the store together. Itachi put some persimmons in a bag and took some other vegetables. Naruto passed by the instant ramen and sighed. Takahiro downed the stuff almost every day. _Tou-san and Kaa-san would be angry if they knew I was letting him eat that._

Naruto grabbed a bag of flour, a packet of yeast and a can of koshian, smooth red bean paste. He already had sugar and egg at the apartment.

His bag was full, but he had room for getting the one thing his parents liked, but he wasn't all that partial to, pocky.

"You're still…" Itachi stood with him in the line for the cashier.

"Yeah," Naruto's eyes had a distant look. "You want it? I'm probably not going to eat it…again."

"Normally I would, but Sasuke would probably eat it. For some reason, he's been having a love for sweets these days. Maybe it's a phase?" Itachi said as he helped Naruto put his groceries on the counter for the cashier to ring him up.

" 3134.48円" the cashier said. ($26.56). Naruto gave the woman the right amount of paper and coin.

"You look thin. Here," the woman handed him back a 500円 coin.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked politely.

"Yeah, so long as you don't give it to that boy Hokage-sama made you live with. Honestly, I wouldn't expect Hokage-sama to be so stupid as to burden Yondaime-sama's adorable child with the _demon_," the woman said.

"Thank you," Naruto said with a forced smile. Naruto waited for Itachi outside, seeing how Itachi was behind him in line. Naruto felt a chill in the air from the October autumn. It wasn't winter, yet. Naruto's 11th birthday is coming up in the dead of Konoha winter: December 27.

Itachi walked out and motioned with a small head jerk to go. Naruto trotted over.

"I wish I could tell her he's my brother. But Hokage-sama worked so hard to not link him to Tou-san or me," Naruto said softly.

"I suppose Hokage-sama would have to put seals on Takahiro's mind to prevent him from learning the truth. But he won't will he?" Itachi asked.

"I'd just undo them. Hokage-sama would simply put seals on me. I wouldn't even know it. Itachi, if I ever forgot who my parents were, please put me in a genjutsu," Naruto said.

"Okay," Itachi cracked a smile. "Well, looks like this is where we part ways."

Naruto nodded and thanked him for walking him home. Itachi continued on to the Uchiha Compound. Naruto unlocked the door and stepped into the apartment.

"Takahiro, I'm home!" Naruto yelled. He counted five seconds, the maximum amount of time it took the former toddler to come rushing over, a huge smile plastered on his face.

Ten seconds passed. Naruto dropped the groceries and searched for Takahiro's chakra. It wasn't in the apartment. Naruto cursed and ran out.

He created twenty Kage Bunshin, shadow clones, and spread them across the village, looking for a head of bright yellow hair. As Naruto, the original, was running through one of the busiest and main roads of Konoha, he saw a man with spiky silver hair running away from him with a small child on his back.

Naruto instantly recognized both of them: Hatake Kakashi and Uzumaki Takahiro.

"Hey! Stop!" Naruto threw a kunai, a three-pronged kunai, and reappeared right in front of Kakashi. He engaged the older Jounin in a taijutsu battle, something he had a feeling he'd lose in.

And it was true. If Naruto was serious, perhaps he might have a slight chance of winning if Takahiro wasn't here and nothing was barred, even Kakashi's Sharingan or Naruto's kekkei genkai.

But now wasn't the time.

"Nii-chan!" Takahiro chirped. "Kakashi here was giving me a piggy-back ride!" He grinned and patted Kakashi's silver hair.

Naruto felt nauseous and an unbelievable wave of anger crashed in his mind.

"Kakashi-senpai, I'm taking Takahiro home now. It was nice seeing you," Naruto grabbed Takahiro and disappeared in a flash.

* * *

><p>"Takahiro, what did I tell you about leaving with strangers?" Naruto asked, sitting with him at the table.<p>

"Not to go with them," Takahiro said.

"Then why did you go with him? He's dangerous," Naruto said seriously. He wanted to strangle the man.

The reason why was mainly resentment. Naruto had been six when his parents died. He'd been alone at home, reading. Then a huge wave of chakra, ominous chakra, radiated through the village. A few minutes later, Naruto was witnessing his parents give their final words to a crying baby. Minato looked up and saw Naruto and said, "I love you."

Then Minato sealed the Kyuubi away. However, Naruto didn't know that his father had sealed it away; perhaps it was a product of the Shiki Fuujin that it disappeared.

In a flash of light, the Kyuubi was gone and his parents were on the ground, Kushina, barely alive. Sarutobi and Naruto ran over, the latter with tears streaming down his face.

"His name is Takahiro…Naruto, protect him. I love you so much…" Kushina pulled him into a hug as Naruto hugged her hard, willing her soul to stay despite the growing bloodstain growing on his shirt telling him otherwise, that she'd die in his arms.

And die she did. He felt the strength leave her body and a bloodcurdling scream escaped his lips.

And for four years, Naruto did not see the Copy Ninja. Oh, he was sure Kakashi was the ANBU assigned to watch over them at night. And he was sure Kakashi was a coward who wouldn't approach them because "_You remind me of Minato-sensei. The pain of seeing them when they were all I had after all the people I cared about died and you two only bring up regret."_

But this was simply a theory. Naruto had no idea if that was the real reasoning behind why Kakashi never visited, but it didn't matter. Naruto is managing on his own and he didn't need a war-torn coward to make things worse.

And by 'make things worse' Naruto referred to the village's resentment towards Takahiro, who didn't notice…yet. Naruto wished the day he realized the village simply wanted him dead never came. But being a ninja meant that things never went the way one wants and the world would simply spiral into an uglier and crueler place.

For now, it was a birthday. October 10th, the day his parents died. The day when flashes of their blood-soaked bodies and clothes lay on the grass, lifeless.

Naruto shook his head. He had an innocent brother to take care of.

"Nii-chan?" Takahiro asked.

"I'm fine," Naruto said and got up abruptly and began to make anpan.

Takahiro sat in his chair uncomfortably. A few minutes of silence passed. Naruto knew the kid would complain about Naruto's strange behavior and Naruto had to focus on keeping his rage in check since he hadn't gotten over seeing Kakashi care for his brother who arguably looked more like Minato than he did.

"Nii-chan…do you not like Kakashi?" Takahiro asked.

"Takahiro…" Naruto tried to gather his words. "Let's just say we don't always get along. But if he's nice to you, you shouldn't let me get in the way of your friendship with him."

"But…Nii-chan should like all my friends because Nii-chan is my friend and if Kakashi is a friend, you two should be friends," Takahiro said.

"I'm sorry, Takahiro, we can't be friends," Naruto kneaded the dough until in every stroke; the dough would squeeze through his fingers.

"Why not?"

Naruto had tried to prepare himself for this question and was about to lash out when another voice came.

"Yeah, Naruto. Why not?" a male voice drawled. An arm leaned on the counter to observe the dough kneading process. Naruto stopped and turned to look at Kakashi, slowly.

"You know just as well as I do why we can't be friends," Naruto said lightly, trying not to scare Takahiro. Kakashi leaned down and whispered in his ear, "I understand you're only saying that because Takahiro is here. Send a clone to Training Ground 7."

Then Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

In the end, Naruto did not send a clone nor did he go in person. He laid out dinner for himself and Takahiro and handed him a pair of chopsticks.

"Itadakimasu," Takahiro said. Naruto whispered it under his breath. With that, the two began to eat and Naruto listened to him babble about ninjas and how many bowls of ramen he could eat in under ten minutes and how he's going to be great in the Academy and how all the girls were going to have the _hugest_ crush on him.

"Did Nii-chan have girls who had a crush on him?" Takahiro suddenly stopped his monologue.

"Not really," Naruto said.

"Oh, and…Kakashi and I have request," Takahiro began to wring his hands and look away. Naruto raised a brow at this.

"What?" Naruto asked, preparing himself for the worst.

"Me and Kakashi—"

"Kakashi and I," Naruto corrected.

"Kakashi and I want you to tell me two things: why you don't like him and something about Tou-san and Kaa-san," Takahiro said, too quickly, too forced. Naruto felt another wave of nausea and resentment. _Got to control it…_

"I'll tell you as a bedtime story, okay?" Naruto almost choked on his rice; he'd shoveled it in his mouth in a last ditch effort to not answer Takahiro's question.

"Um…Kakashi told me that you'd say that and we want you to tell me right now," Takahiro said.

"Takahiro, I'm sorry. Not now," Naruto had his hair cover his eyes to prevent the look of pure anger from Takahiro.

"No, now!" Takahiro yelled, tears running down his face. Naruto got up and went face to face with Takahiro.

Takahiro flinched and he was scared; tears threatened to run down his strong older brother's face and _Nii-chan used the special jutsu ninja use to move fast…what's wrong with telling me who Tou-san and Kaa-san are?_

"Takahiro, I'll tell you when you're older. For now, eat," Naruto took the anpan out of the oven and handed him one. Takahiro ate with less enthusiasm than Naruto had expected.

After that, Naruto had Takahiro brush his teeth and go to bed. Naruto tucked him in and instead of telling him a story of the Shodai Hokage. Naruto watched as Takahiro fought sleep to listen to the story, but eventually succumbed. Once Takahiro wasn't going to wake up the moment Naruto stood, Naruto climbed out of the window.

Naruto jumped across rooftops and was soon at Training Ground 7. He tried to sense Kakashi's chakra, but it wasn't anywhere to be found. He flared his own chakra slightly, in case Kakashi was hiding.

"You came," Kakashi said, eye-smiling. "Now, what seems the problem?"

Naruto took a deep breath and sat on the grass. Kakashi followed suit.

"I'd say Takahiro looks more like Tou-san than I do. When they died, I never got any help from you, I never got a single word from you, not one gesture of caring or condolence. Then, if you're truly guilty for their deaths, why Takahiro? He looks more like a ghost of the past than I do," Naruto whispered.

"You're implying, 'Why not me?' right?" Kakashi asked. He didn't an answer, which he expected. "Well, you're right. I did feel guilty. I wanted to make up for it by making sure I didn't fail Sensei by abandoning both of his children. One is better than none and I'd say you turned out alright, even without me."

"That doesn't answer my question. Is the reason you still avoid me is the fact that you're now guilty for feeling guilty and not approaching me sooner?" Naruto glared.

Kakashi sighed and put a hand on his face. "Yes."

"And I suppose summoning me here now is you trying to make up for both Takahiro and I?" Naruto asked.

"Yes."

Naruto sighed. "I suppose Tou-san would kick your ass and then hug you. Kaa-san would simply grind you to a pulp. Come on, I have leftover anpan."

Kakashi sat in shock. He didn't expect Naruto to forgive him so easily. But then again, Minato was awfully forgiving when it came to Kakashi. Perhaps it was because of his father's suicide?

"Sure," Kakashi stood and the two walked back to Naruto's apartment.

* * *

><p>Naruto woke up to find a half eaten anpan in his hand and his arms resting on the table. He looked up and saw Kakashi in a similar state of confusion. Takahiro walked into the kitchen wearing his pajamas and rubbing his eyes. He turned and saw the Chuunin and Jounin.<p>

"Nii-chan…are you friends with Kakashi now?" Takahiro asked.

The two exchanged looks and Naruto sighed. "Yeah." Kakashi eye-smiled.

A knock on the door interrupted them. Takahiro grinned and ran to get it. Naruto stretched and ran his fingers through his hair to untangle it.

A minute later, Naruto didn't hear Takahiro's voice conversing with the person at the door. He ran over and saw Takahiro gone. There was a note on the floor:

_We took the demon burden off ya, Naruto. Hope you didn't grieve too much yesterday, seeing how it's yer father's death. _

Naruto crumpled the paper in his hand.

"Kakashi-senpai, let's find Takahiro," Naruto growled. Kakashi and Naruto ran out of the apartment and created clones to search. The originals kept close.

"Did you find him?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, this way!" Kakashi jumped down from a rooftop and into an alley. Naruto landed in front of Takahiro, who was crying and bleeding.

"Did you…hurt him?" Naruto asked quietly. He held a three-pronged kunai in his hand tightly. Kakashi picked up Takahiro and carried him away before he could see Naruto beat the living daylights out of his kidnappers.

However, Kakashi was a second too late. Takahiro saw his brother disappear and reappear in a yellow flash and the kidnappers' bodies slam against the wall, creating cracks as blood spurted out of their mouths. Takahiro heard them ask Naruto why.

"Why protect him? He's a demon!" the man yelled.

"I'm not answering that!" Naruto yelled.

Before Naruto could kill him, a hand stopped him.

"Naruto," a clear voice shook him out of his rage.

"Itachi, I'm sorry," Naruto let the man go. He scrambled to get away and was gone in a moment.

"Are you okay?" Itachi placed a hand on his shoulder. Naruto didn't respond. Tears ran down his face. Itachi's eyes widened.

"I hate this…Takahiro turned four yesterday and all I can do is make sure no one kills him. I wish I could kill them all," Naruto whispered.

"Nii-chan," Takahiro hugged his brother's leg. Naruto turned away to make sure he wouldn't see his tears. He wiped them quickly and looked at Takahiro.

"Nii-chan, why do they call me a demon?" Takahiro tugged at Naruto's hand. Naruto stood, not knowing what to say. However, before it became apparent Naruto wasn't going to tell him that either, another voice spoke to distract Takahiro.

"Nii-san, is this your friend?" a small boy held Itachi's hand.

"Yeah, this is Namikaze Naruto," Itachi said. "And that's Uzumaki Takahiro. Say hello."

"Hi," Sasuke said. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke."

Naruto and Itachi watched as their younger brothers began to form a friendship. Sasuke whispered something in Takahiro's ear and Takahiro whispered something back.

"Are you two, like, best friends?" Sasuke asked. Naruto and Itachi nodded.

"Teach us something cool!" the two four-year-olds begged.

"I'm sure Kakashi-senpai would be more than happy to teach you two," Naruto grinned and took Itachi's hand and disappeared. Kakashi stood, dumbfounded. _Those two…_


	2. Forgotten

Lies filled the air until it was impossible to breath. In order to not drown, what do you do? You find the truth, no matter how dark it may be, no matter how many people would kill you if you knew their secrets. Uzumaki Naruto knew this well.

* * *

><p>Lie no.2: Forgotten<p>

Takahiro and Naruto walked to the Hokage's office. The walk was a bit long and it crossed through two districts: the merchant district and weapons district. Naruto knew the weapons district had a few more shops scattered about, but that was only for Genin and above to know.

Naruto tried to hide Takahiro from the glares, which were getting more and more fierce. Now that Takahiro was old enough to run around and scream out whatever he felt like saying, the villagers took advantage of the child's awareness and barely hid their hatred.

Takahiro simply kept grinning and waved a few times. Naruto felt nervous; was he acting this way because he didn't notice or because he didn't want to? Naruto knew that both would lead Takahiro to be an outcast.

Still, Naruto was alive and could protect him. That small comfort made it a bit easier to look up at his father's stone face.

When Takahiro saw that there were stairs that led up to the Hokage's office, he dashed up them with Naruto barely able to keep up if he hadn't focused chakra to his feet. Takahiro was about to burst through the door before Naruto grabbed him.

"You can't just barge in like that; it's rude," Naruto chastised.

"Why?" Takahiro blinked.

"Because the Hokage needs to be respected and we might be walking into some very secret information that the village could be in danger if it gets out," Naruto said.

"But I wouldn't tell anyone," Takahiro frowned.

"I know. We have to wait our turn. You wouldn't like it if Sasuke suddenly cut you in line for Ichiraku Ramen, would you?" Naruto smiled.

"But Sasuke hates ramen," Takahiro said. "And that makes no sense."

"I know," Naruto patted his head.

A voice from inside the office called them in. Naruto and Takahiro walked in. Naruto held Takahiro back from running to Hiruzen and forced him to bow.

"Hokage-sama," Naruto bowed deeply. Takahiro swatted his hand away and scowled. Then, he ran over to Hiruzen and hugged his leg.

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama, let me—" Naruto apologized and reached for Takahiro.

"It's alright, Naruto. He's a sight for sore eyes for an old man like me," Hiruzen laughed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Naruto said. "What did you summon us for?"

"I was going to ask how the apartment is. And, Naruto, I have a scroll for you," Hiruzen said.

"The apartment is fine. I'm not asking for more money, but it's hard to keep up with his appetite," Naruto said. "I thought I had taken all the scrolls."

"What scrolls?" Takahiro asked.

"Well, not all of them. I recently found this by accident, actually," Hiruzen said.

"I see. Why did you ask Takahiro to come as well?" Naruto asked as Takahiro motioned for him to be on Naruto's back. Naruto knelt and adjusted as the weight was placed on his back.

"Well, I wanted to see how he was and as an apology for not giving either of you anything for his birthday, I wanted to treat you two to a meal today," Hiruzen said.

* * *

><p>Naruto slurped his noodles and watched as Takahiro talked to Hiruzen with no hesitation. Naruto began to zone out and began to think about the scrolls he had. Most of them were on wind and fire jutsu, the jutsu his parents mainly studied.<p>

Another portion of them were on fuuinjutsu. Some had the Uzumaki seal on them, indicating Kushina had brought them and some didn't and had notes in quick handwriting, which Naruto knew to be his father's.

Then there was a scroll that wasn't filled that had notes on his father's original justu, the Rasengan. Naruto decided he'd learn it later, seeing how it was time consuming and how his brother wasn't in the Academy yet and needed to be protected.

Naruto noticed he didn't have any more noodles and began to drink the broth. He put his empty bowl down and looked at Takahiro, who was attacking his fifth bowl. Hiruzen looked shocked.

"Naruto, is that normal?" Hiruzen asked quietly. Naruto nodded.

Once Takahiro finished his bowl, he sighed in content. Hiruzen paid the bill, almost grimacing. Naruto would've intervened and paid for it, but Hiruzen was going to insist he pay.

"I've got to go back to my office. I'll see you two around," Hiruzen said as he handed Naruto the scroll and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Nii-chan, he's so cool!" Takahiro grinned. "Can I see the scroll?"

"Nope," Naruto smiled and began walking back to the apartment.

"Why not?" Takahiro pouted.

"Only when you're old enough and you are a Genin do you see this," Naruto said.

"No fair! You're always keeping stuff from me! I'm going to find out who Tou-chan and Kaa-chan are whether or not you like it!" Takahiro yelled and ran off. Naruto was about to call out but he'd already turned a corner, nearly knocking people over.

Takahiro was already pumping chakra to his legs, even if he didn't know it. The child already had enormous chakra reserves, even without accounting for the Kyuubi's chakra. Naruto, with his refined chakra control, was easily able to outrun and doubted think he'd be outrun by Takahiro until he made Jounin. Of the fact Takahiro would make Jounin was something Naruto believed in fully.

Naruto began to run after him. Once he turned a corner, the child was nowhere to be seen. Naruto sighed in exasperation and asked some merchants.

"He went that way," an older man pointed to the right. Naruto thanked him and kept running.

Before Naruto could ask anyone else where his blonde brother had gone, Naruto heard a scream. He turned his head to look in the direction of the sound and listened for another scream. Sure enough, another scream sounded. Naruto ran over to where the sound was.

"Look at what you did! You scared them all off!" a man on a frog with long white hair and red marks extending from his eyes to his cheeks yelled at Takahiro. Takahiro lay under another frog and was unable to move. Still, his loud voice was enough to voice his mind without his body.

"You were doing something bad!" Takahiro yelled. Naruto stood, dumbfounded. _How does Takahiro know that spying on women's bathhouses is bad? What did Kakashi teach him and Sasuke the other day?_

He blinked, getting back to the situation.

"How would a kid like you know something like that?" the man argued.

"Because I'm smart! Nii-chan told me so!" Takahiro yelled back.

"You must not be so smart if you get caught under my summon so easily," the man said smugly. "And your Nii-chan must be an idiot if he thinks you're smart!" the man laughed.

"Hey! Nii-chan might be mean sometimes, but he can be really nice! Everyone thinks he's a prodigy and if he were here right now, he'd beat you up!" Takahiro yelled.

"Oh?" the man asked.

"Yeah!" Takahiro glared.

"Then we'll just have to see about that," the man hopped off his frog. The frog disappeared in a puff of smoke and his wooden sandals clacked with every step closer to Takahiro.

Takahiro began to understand the man wasn't kidding and might be about to hurt him just to prove his words true. Takahiro began to get scared. Fear quickly enveloped his entire face and he began to scream.

"Nii-chan!"

A kick almost landed on the man. The man had dodged with Takahiro under his arm. Naruto charged again with a kunai and hid a few clones in the shadows of a few pebbles. The kunai missed, not to either of their surprise. But that moment of distraction was all Naruto needed.

Naruto quickly weaved signs for a wind jutsu. As the man was countering, Naruto threw three-pronged kunai. The man suddenly looked shocked, which Naruto capitalized on. He finally landed a kick on the man. He went flying into the water, only to have it turn into smoke. _A clone…_

Naruto turned around and around, looking for the man. Suddenly, he sensed chakra behind him and turned with a kunai in hand. Naruto narrowly dodged a punch on his left, which would've nailed him in the head. Because of the fact the man had gotten behind him, Naruto didn't see the kick aimed for his back. Naruto flew towards the water, barely able to land on the water's surface. He skidded to a stop and panted.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. This man was on another level from past enemies. Naruto would've been an idiot if he couldn't tell that the man was holding back. The thing that bothered Naruto was that the man was toying with him.

"Stop these games. What did you hope to gain by taking Takahiro and fighting me?" Naruto asked, catching his breath.

"I was just proving his words," the man shrugged. "You aren't half bad. That jutsu you used…"

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, avoiding the question. This didn't go unnoticed by the man, who took this a cue to not go further, unless in private.

The man grinned. Naruto got the feeling he shouldn't have asked. An elaborate show using his long white hair, clacking wooden sandals, and frog summons was made. Naruto tried to tune it out.

"I'm Jiraiya!" the man grinned. "And who are you?"

"I'm Namikaze Naruto. And that is Uzumaki Takahiro," Naruto gestured to his brother, who had passed out, probably from fear.

Jiraiya paled. He opened and closed his mouth and opened it.

"Once he's asleep, we'll talk. I know you must have something to say. I'll show you to my apartment," Naruto said and gestured for him to follow.

Naruto carried Takahiro in his arms and Jiraiya followed.

Naruto could feel the fact the man wanted to make small talk. He also figured Jiraiya knew something about his parents. However, Jiraiya was smart enough to not talk about it in public, seeing how talking about the Kyuubi around Takahiro was forbidden. So the three continued in silence until they arrived at Naruto's apartment.

Naruto walked up the stairs and took out his key. He unlocked the apartment door and stepped in.

"Make yourself at home," Naruto said as he put Takahiro in bed. Naruto closed his door softly and walked over to Jiraiya, who was looking at the bookcase. He took a photo album and flipped through it. Naruto looked at the photos, just out of nostalgia.

"You're the spitting image of both of them," Jiraiya said, a twinge of sadness clinging to his voice.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Naruto sat in a chair as Jiraiya put back the album carefully.

"I just…wanted to tell you I didn't forget," Jiraiya said softly.

"Forget?"

"You or your parents."

"It's okay. Kakashi-senpai really had it bad. But we're on good terms, I guess," Naruto looked up at the ceiling.

"How old are you and Takahiro?"

"Ten and four."

"And…which of you is the…" Jiraiya asked wistfully.

"He is," Naruto said. "Now, is there anything else? Not to be rude, but I've got to prepare for dinner and feeding him is a full-time job I'm not paid for. Or would you like to stay?"

"No, I'm fine. I was just checking up on you two. Stay well," Jiraiya said.

Naruto nodded and bowed. He went to the kitchen and began to chop up vegetables. Jiraiya left as Naruto was reading the cookbook and measuring things.

* * *

><p>"Nii-chan did you beat the bad man?" Takahiro asked an hour later after taking a nap. Naruto was stirring a pot and briefly looked up to look at the child.<p>

"Nah, he was really good. But he's a good person, so if you see him again, say hello," Naruto said and put the meat in a pot. The rice cooker clicked loudly to indicate that it was done.

"What?!" Takahiro took a seat and stared in shock. "You're lying!"

"Would I lie to you?" Naruto feigned innocence on his face.

"Yes," Takahiro's face turned serious. Naruto stared at him until he cracked a smile. Then he began to laugh.

"Nii-chan!" Takahiro laughed. "W-what's for d-dinner?"

"Curry rice," Naruto placed a plate in front of him and chopsticks. Takahiro grinned and began to eat it with vigor. Naruto was surprised, as the dinner table was silent except for Takahiro's eating. Takahiro didn't have the attention or air to speak.

Naruto briefly wondered what his parents' dinner table would've looked like if Takahiro knew them.

Well, Minato would probably come home late because of paperwork, Kushina would scold him, and Takahiro would be scolded for being out late with his friends. Her red hair would float and Naruto would lightly laugh as Takahiro would get a beating.

Naruto, out of the edges of his vision, saw his red hair. He smiled as he looked at his and his brother's hair. He blinked as Takahiro wasn't at the table. He turned and saw Takahiro on the counter trying to get seconds.

Suddenly, he slipped and the pot of curry was tumbling towards the ground, specifically towards Takahiro. Takahiro's eyes widened in shock.

Naruto moved to separate the two. The curry fell on his back and it had just stopped boiling. Still, it was about 100°C (212°F). He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes as the curry ran down his back.

"Nii-chan," Takahiro said in shock. "I…I'm sorry…!"

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, opening his eyes. Takahiro nodded.

"Yeah…but you're hurt," Takahiro said.

"I'm fine," Naruto stood, wincing. "Come with me."

Takahiro took his hand and watched as Naruto went out of their apartment and ran across rooftops. Takahiro was surprised at the beauty of the village at night. However, it was short lived as Naruto descended towards the ground. They arrived at the gates of a clan compound. Takahiro flinched as two people emerged from the shadows.

"Who are you and what is your business?" the guards asked.

"I am Namikaze Naruto and I need to talk to Uchiha Itachi," Naruto said, his face calm as if his back wasn't burned.

"Make it quick," the guards said. Naruto bowed and ran through the compound with Takahiro barely able to keep up. They arrived at the end of a long path and Naruto stood outside, not knocking. He flared his chakra slightly.

A minute later, a familiar face came out.

"What happened?" Itachi asked. Naruto signed to him and Itachi signed back in a hurried way, as if concerned.

"Takahiro, Itachi is going to watch you for tonight, okay? Sasuke lives here too," Naruto knelt down.

Takahiro looked shocked and didn't know what to say. "Nii-chan…I'm sorry!"

"Takahiro, it's alright. Just be nice and don't ask for food," Naruto said and disappeared.

Takahiro looked at Itachi and began to cry. Itachi sighed and closed the door.

"Don't cry; Naruto will be back soon. Sasuke!" Itachi called out. Sasuke came after a moment. Sasuke smiled as he saw Takahiro but then looked concerned as he saw his friend crying.

"Itachi, who is this?" Mikoto hurried over, hearing crying.

"This is Naruto's brother, Uzumaki Takahiro," Itachi said. "Run along," he said to Sasuke and Takahiro.

Mikoto looked shocked and confused. Itachi sat her down at the table and started to tell her what had happened.

"Naruto was burned by trying to protect Takahiro from scalding curry. Takahiro had tipped the pot over and before it could burn Takahiro, Naruto took the fall," Itachi said.

"I take it this Naruto is _the_ Naruto everyone talks about, right?" Mikoto asked. "Namikaze Naruto, right?"

"Yes," Itachi said. "Kaa-san, you know it's a village secret that the two are brothers, yes?"

"Yes. It's because Minato-san made so many enemies in the Third Ninja War," Mikoto remembered.

At mention of this, Itachi remembered nearly seven years ago how he and Naruto had fought in the War. They were only four, but the memories of all the bloody bodies still lingered. Itachi remembered how Naruto had taken several kunai for him after he'd gotten so fatigued from all the fighting one day. It had been raining and they were the last two Konoha nin in the area. Their older comrades had been slaughtered right in front of them. After that, the two used the last of their chakra to defeat the group of enemy nin.

From then on, the two forged a friendship. It used to be based solely on their ties from the War, but it eventually strengthened because they were the youngest in their age group to be Chuunin and the children of strong people.

After Naruto's parents died, it had been Itachi who taught him how to care for small children and to bring him out of the grief he'd been in.

* * *

><p>Naruto staggered through the village to get to the hospital. He leaned against a lamppost for support. He channeled chakra to his back to ease the pain, but it wasn't getting much better. He took a few more steps before he collapsed.<p>

"Naruto!"

Naruto closed his eyes, not having heard his name being called out. He let himself fall into unconsciousness.

Kakashi knelt by the boy and immediately saw the source of the problem: the burn on his back. Kakashi took off the soiled shirt and saw the extent of the burn. It was terrible. Kakashi rushed him to the hospital.

"Take this boy. He has serious burns," Kakashi said to a nurse. She looked shocked and then wheeled him away in a bed. Kakashi waited in the waiting area, despite the late hour. It took them ten minutes to get him changed and his burns addressed.

"Kakashi-san?" the nurse approached him. Kakashi looked up.

"How is he?" Kakashi asked.

"He'll be fine. Don't worry; healing the Yondaime's child is the least we can do," the nurse smiled and bowed and disappeared in the hospital. Kakashi sat in the waiting room, unsure of what to do.

An hour later, it was nearly midnight. Kakashi didn't feel tired at all. He felt his orange book in his back pocket and reading to pass the time wasn't all that appealing. Kakashi couldn't forget the panic he felt when he found Naruto collapsed on the ground. It was similar to when Minato and Kushina's bodies had laid on the ground lifelessly four years ago. But in this case, Naruto was saved.

"Kakashi-san, we've healed him. We could've waited for him to heal on his own, but we thought it best to heal him immediately before the burn got worse and I can see you want to see him. He's ready to be discharged," the nurse said. Kakashi stood and signed a piece of paper. Then, Naruto walked over with his shorts on and a hospital shirt on.

"That shirt suits you," Kakashi joked as they walked out.

"Does not," Naruto said.

Kakashi laughed and walked aimlessly in the village, Naruto following. They made small talk and before Kakashi knew it, he was in front of the cenotaph he always stood at.

Naruto read over the names and found his parents' names at the top.

"Kakashi-senpai, I've got to get Takahiro from the Uchiha compound," Naruto said.

"Don't bother. Let him stay with his friend for tonight. How did you get burned anyway?" Kakashi patted his shoulder.

"Takahiro was getting seconds of curry and he tipped it over. Before it fell on him, I got between them," Naruto shrugged. He reached back and touched his back. _It's healed…_

"You need help cleaning up, don't you?" Kakashi asked.

"If you want to help I won't stop you," Naruto said. Kakashi nodded and followed him to his apartment.

The walk back was peaceful. The streets were dark, but it didn't faze the two war veterans. They walked up the stairs and Naruto unlocked the door. The smell of curry was still strong and Naruto knew it would linger. The two set to work wiping it off the floors and washing the pot. Once everything was clean, Naruto and Kakashi sat on the floor.

"You know, that curry smelled familiar to me. What recipe did you use?" Kakashi asked.

"My mother's. She probably made it for you and Tou-san and your teammates, right?" Naruto asked. "She was the type to invite everyone over for dinner."

"I see now," Kakashi eye-smiled. Naruto yawned and before he knew it, he was asleep with a pillow under his head. Kakashi patted his head and left.


	3. Appearance

Lie no. 3: Appearance

Naruto was sipping tea at the table when Takahiro came out of his room. Naruto was fully dressed, but Takahiro was wearing some of Naruto's clothes and his Chuunin vest, which Naruto never wore.

"Nii-chan, let's go!" Takahiro grinned. Naruto looked at the clock and held back a stream of curses. Naruto dragged his brother back and dressed him in regular attire, something that wasn't as strange and attention grabbing as what he'd been wearing.

"Takahiro, you're seven already. You should know how to dress yourself properly," Naruto said as he quickly put a bento in his bag and handed him a bowl of miso soup to drink on the way to the Academy.

"But…I thought wearing Nii-chan's Chuunin vest would help me graduate early, cause all of the strong people I know graduated early, like you and Itachi and that old man with the frogs," Takahiro whined as Naruto pushed him out of the door and raced down the stairs and walked quickly to the Academy.

"His name is Jiraiya-sama," Naruto said. Before he could explain why he had to gradate early, Takahiro interjected.

"Sama?" Takahiro asked.

"He was one of the Hokage's students, the three Legendary Sannin," Naruto explained. "And, I had to graduate early because I had to take care of you. I haven't taken higher than a D-Rank mission in six years. Once you become a Genin, you will understand how painful that is."

Ever since Takahiro entered the Academy last year, Naruto was able to take regular missions, almost always with Itachi. Not because they requested it, but because they worked extremely well and had a perfect streak of completed missions.

Because Naruto had to take care of a child and refused to burden Itachi's family with taking care of Takahiro and…he'd heard rumors swirling around the Uchiha and the attack of the Kyuubi, he couldn't take a mission that would last long. Also, it didn't help that most people knew the Kyuubi was sealed in Takahiro, and to leave him in the care of yes, capable arms of Mikoto, was going to worsen the rumors. Naruto also wouldn't let Itachi's family be further hurt like that.

Naruto pulled Takahiro along and made him down the miso, despite the temperature of it, to make sure he wasn't late. Takahiro protested but once he was done with the soup, Naruto took to the rooftops, moving an unprepared Takahiro at chakra-enhanced speeds.

"Nii-chan, am I going to be able to move this fast once I graduate?" Takahiro asked.

"If you work hard," Naruto said as they descended. Naruto knew they were awfully late and walked in to apologize to the teacher.

Naruto opened the door and twenty-something faces turned to look at him.

"Hey…is that…"

"It's the prodigy everyone talks about!"

"Why is he with Takahiro?"

The teacher shushed everyone down and Takahiro took a seat.

"Sorry, sensei, I was a little slow this morning," Naruto smiled.

Iruka blinked. He'd heard of Naruto, the one who was the Yondaime's child. This fact is also not allowed to be talked about. The reason was that Minato had made so many enemies in the past war. If this fact got out to the other nations, Naruto would be taken and tortured on his father's behalf. However, much like the fact Takahiro was the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki, it was talked about, behind his back. When it came to Naruto's father's identity, people would talk about it with or without him in hushed whispers. As for Takahiro being related to Naruto, such a fact was so unknown to almost all of the population of Konoha that most people just dismissed Takahiro calling Naruto 'Nii-chan' just an endearment since they lived together.

"Naruto-kun, could you help me explain something?" Iruka asked on impulse. Naruto just seemed really dependable and Iruka was having trouble explaining things.

"Sure. What's the problem?" Naruto walked down the aisles as Takahiro took his seat. Iruka handed him an open textbook with the page that the students were learning. Naruto skimmed it and Iruka was surprised that Naruto didn't really react to it.

"Ah, so you all are learning about the Kyuubi incident?" Naruto asked. "Well, for this lesson, I'm going to be your sensei. My name is Namikaze Naruto," Naruto lightly bowed and grinned.

"Apparently, Iruka-sensei here taught you about this yesterday, but all of you are having trouble with understanding it? Can someone tell me what they think happened?"

A few hands rose. Naruto surveyed them and saw that Takahiro was pleading him not to call on him. Naruto decided to call on him, seeing how Takahiro said they hadn't learned anything and had no homework the night before.

"Takahiro, tell me, without looking at your textbook, what happened regarding Kyuubi attack?" Naruto asked. Takahiro flushed and shook his head.

"I bet you know something. For now, review. I'm going to coming back to you. Anyone else?" Naruto looked at the rest of the class. A girl with pink hair was pleading him to call on him.

"You, pink hair," Naruto said.

"The Kyuubi appeared due to a natural disaster seven years ago. It destroyed most of the village. The Yondaime Hokage killed it, but at the cost of his own life," the girl said.

"That's a good summary," Naruto said. "Takahiro, have you gotten anything else from the textbook?"

"Y-yes…" Takahiro mumbled. _I've got to show Nii-chan I'm smart too… _"You saw the Yondaime die, didn't you?"

Naruto sighed. He read through the textbook, lazily turning the pages for a moment. Then he abruptly closed it and saw that the class was staring at him, wanting him to confirm if he really saw the Yondaime die or not.

"Well, did you?" a boy with red marks on his cheeks asked.

"Yes," Naruto said. "Takahiro, you are right but I wanted something from the textbook. Since Iruka-sensei is about to give you all a quiz, let me summarize things: the Kyuubi appeared seven years ago and the Yondaime died to kill it and protect the village. Good luck," Naruto said and took a seat, watching for cheaters as Iruka passed out the tests. Naruto saw their nametags and wrote down the names of cheaters.

Iruka sat back down and saw Naruto write down more names. Once twenty minutes was up, Iruka collected the tests. Iruka took the paper of cheaters and read them off. Naruto wasn't really listening until the end.

"And Uzumaki Takahiro," Iruka said.

"I did not! Nii-chan's a liar!" Takahiro yelled. Naruto didn't look up, he continued grading. After a moment, he was done. Naruto got up and walked over to Takahiro, who looked angry and behind that mask of anger, shameful. Naruto leaned down and whispered in Takahiro's ear.

"Then explain to me why you have the exact same answers as the girl next to you," Naruto said.

Takahiro paled and held back tears. He stared into his brother's eyes, eyes that had gone cold and hard. Naruto turned and walked away as Iruka was pinning up the list of A's. Takahiro slumped in his seat, looking at his feet. The bell for lunch rang and the students ran out, leaving only four people.

"Takahiro, come on," Sasuke said.

"I don't wanna," Takahiro mumbled.

Sasuke groaned in exasperation and dragged him out of the room, much to Naruto's gratefulness. Naruto stood and erased the board and threw away the list of cheaters.

"Naruto-kun, I'm sorry to keep you here, but could you help the rest of the day?" Iruka asked.

"Sure. I wanted to schedule a meeting with you over Takahiro's performance, but I think this is better, seeing him in daily classes," Naruto said.

* * *

><p>Iruka taught the students how to throw shuriken and it was obvious Takahiro and Sasuke were on completely different ends of a spectrum of skill. Sasuke was good at everything while Takahiro almost nailed Iruka and Naruto caught a stray shuriken headed for a group of girls.<p>

Takahiro looked ashamed, but simply glared when Naruto looked at him.

After shuriken practice, it was taijutsu. Iruka decided to do tournaments with students paired up to spar, then winners of the spars would spar each other until one was left.

"And, if you do really well, you can spar against me," Naruto grinned. The children were now extremely motivated.

Naruto watched the spars with mild interest and watched carefully at Sasuke and Takahiro's match. Sasuke had a definite form while Takahiro fought with uncertainty but Naruto could see he was trying. Takahiro's face fell when he was on the ground and Iruka was announcing Sasuke as the winner. Sasuke helped Takahiro up and glared at the people who called him a loser.

In the end, Sasuke ended up fighting against Naruto. Sasuke had force behind his punches and kicks but Naruto saw he was getting tired after multiple dodges and hitting the ground hard to avoid being punched in the gut.

Before Naruto could make the blow to knock Sasuke down, but not seriously hurt him, Takahiro jumped into the fight. Naruto dodged and got behind him before Takahiro realized. Sasuke used this distraction as Naruto was focused on Takahiro to jump Naruto. Naruto threw him off and kicked him away as Takahiro was charging. Naruto sidestepped and tripped him.

The two boys found themselves on the ground with Iruka sighing and saying Naruto had won and how Takahiro shouldn't have intervened.

Naruto helped them up and Takahiro suddenly punched Naruto, who hadn't seen it coming. Naruto winced and saw the anger in Takahiro's eyes.

"Takahiro…" Naruto said.

Takahiro looked so angry and hurt he couldn't speak.

"Well, that's it for class. Dismissed," Iruka said. The class dispersed and after a few mintues, Itachi showed up to pick up Sasuke.

Itachi saw the concern on Sasuke's face and the anger on Takahiro's.

_Did something happen? _Itachi signed.

_Yeah. Takahiro is ashamed he cheated on a test when I caught him and it showed throughout the day that he wasn't as great as he said he was. I found out he doesn't study or do his homework even when I'm around. There was a taijutsu tournament and the winner of all the spars would get to spar with me. Takahiro must've felt the need to prove himself and spar with me, but he lost to Sasuke in the first bout. And, as Sasuke was sparring against me, Takahiro intervened but they both lost._

_Takahiro is taking it really hard from the looks of this. Is he going to be alright?_

_He'll be fine. I just need to train him and make him do his homework, even though my time is really short because of missions. _

Itachi nodded and the two Uchiha went home.

Then it was just Takahiro and Naruto.

Takahiro looked at Naruto. "How come you're so good and I suck?"

"I worked really hard. I never see you studying or training. If you want to beat Sasuke in spars and get A's on your tests, you need to work hard. I wasn't born with knowing everything," Naruto said, walking with him in the village to their apartment.

"But…it's hard. I try to study and train, but I end up falling asleep or cutting myself with kunai and shuriken. Why don't you train me? I need your help," Takahiro pleaded. Naruto sighed. "Maybe tomorrow."

* * *

><p>When night fell, Sasuke finally came home. He was running to his home but on his way, bloody bodies littered the streets. He let out a gasp and ran to his home at the end of the compound to find his parents and older brother.<p>

He didn't find them. He ran to their room and saw their bloody bodies on the floor. Denial spread in his mind until a horrible genjutsu raced through his mind. Itachi was still standing there when he awoke. In an alley, Itachi began to tell Sasuke things he never thought would come out of his beloved brother's mouth.

"If you wish to kill me, resent me, hate me, and live in obscurity. Then when you possess the same eyes as me, come before me!" Itachi said.

Sasuke felt tears run down his face once more and his vision suddenly became sharper. As Itachi was fleeing, Sasuke raced after him and managed to knock off his headband. As tears ran down Itachi's face, Sasuke felt himself lose consciousness.

Itachi shoved down his emotions and walked out of the village, hoping he'd see Naruto once again, his friend, the one who saw him as a person, a peer, not someone who expected something.

Itachi saw the village gates as each step brought him closer to a life of being hated. He was growing farther from anything he cherished and he knew he would no longer be able to imagine a time where he would be seen as a loyal Konoha nin; he was a criminal.

Itachi walked slowly as he was going outside the village. Once he felt a familiar chakra signature begin to give chase, he sped up until the person chasing him caught him.

"Itachi."

Itachi stopped and turned. He knew this person would do him no harm, perhaps the only person who wouldn't harm him no matter what.

"You never did anything without a reason, so why?" Naruto asked.

Itachi smiled a mirthless smile. "I don't have much time, so let me show you," Itachi said as Naruto peered into his Sharingan eyes. Naruto was thrown into a genjutsu that depicted everything, the real truth: the Uchiha's coup and killing his clansmen and Sasuke's reaction.

Naruto didn't know tears were running down his face until he could taste them. He stepped towards Itachi and hugged him.

"Don't worry, Itachi. I'll protect Sasuke and the village along with you. You have one person on your side. I will never tell anyone this…okay? You are my best friend and it is an honor to be your friend," Naruto's words tumbled out with no order.

"Yeah," Itachi said. "I guess…this is goodbye until we meet again as enemies."

"I'll always be your friend and I'll have your back," Naruto cried harder. "Here…"

Naruto took off his necklace that he'd bought earlier that year. Itachi looked shocked but smiled and took it.

"Thanks," Itachi said. Then he disappeared into the night without a trace.

Naruto stood for a moment and wiped off his tears. Then he turned and began the slow walk back to the village. Each step felt heavy, each step felt like it was obliterating every day Itachi had spent with him as a Genin and Chuunin, their friendship. Soon, Naruto was back at the village gates, and the sun was rising. Naruto trudged to the Hokage's office to tell him what had happened.

"Hokage-sama," Naruto walked in.

"Naruto," Hiruzen said.

"I trailed Itachi…and…" Naruto felt more tears coming but before he could stop it, they flowed down.

"I see you know," Hiruzen sighed. "Sasuke is in the hospital due to a powerful genjutsu. I suggest you be there when he wakes up, you know, for comfort."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Naruto said as his tears dried and he walked out. He made a clone to check on Takahiro and the original one went to Sasuke.

Naruto walked with his hands in his pockets. He almost didn't know what do to. Itachi was an important person to him and for him to forcibly act like he hated Itachi was almost unthinkable. Still, Naruto had to go on for Sasuke's sake and Takahiro's sake.

When Naruto sat in a chair to look at Sasuke's pained face the boy didn't open his eyes. Naruto knew that whatever genjutsu Itachi had used was powerful enough to keep him in a coma-like state for a few days. _Itachi truly wanted to protect the village and his clan, _Naruto thought.

At noon, Naruto's clone sent word Takahiro was outside the hospital. The original sent back an order to train Takahiro, since Takahiro had relayed to the clone that there was a week off of the Academy for some holiday…some Hokage's birthday. Naruto didn't really care.

When five rolled around, Naruto was still sitting in the hospital, staring at a faint image of Itachi that reflected on Sasuke's face. Naruto decided to stay unless Sasuke woke up. At around midnight, Naruto heard him almost crying out.

"nii-san…I'll…kill…"

Naruto stared sadly at the outline of Sasuke's face in the moonlight. Naruto knew Sasuke was going to be filled with hate, and what made Naruto sadder was that he knew Itachi had planned this out, every detail of it.

When dawn came, Naruto hadn't felt any time pass. Sasuke was still asleep. Takahiro was wearing down his clone down. Naruto knew it would disperse soon and Takahiro would find him eventually. Sneaking in and out of places was something Takahiro was good at.

At ten, Naruto decided to disperse the clone and go to Takahiro. Takahiro was diligently reading his textbook and Naruto silently walked past.

"I can't believe Itachi would murder his own clan. I thought he was a good person, but I guess you can't judge by just appearance," Takahiro said. Naruto turned to look at him.

"Me too," Naruto said with a blank face.

"You okay?" Takahiro frowned as he looked at his older brother. "You look pale."

"I'm fine," Naruto said.

"Oh, how come you sent a clone? Did you go after Itachi? Did you fight? Was it cool?" Takahiro fired questions off.

"Yeah, I went after him. We fought, but he beat me. His Sharingan is powerful, so don't approach him," Naruto said and flopped down on his bed and was temped to scream into his pillow, but didn't.


	4. Identity

Lie no. 4: Identity

Naruto always woke up at dawn. Today, he woke up at 4am. He lay in his bed with only underwear, as did Takahiro. It was summer and Land of Fire was no understatement when it came to summer. Naruto briefly wondered if the Land of Water was any better. _Nah, they probably have terrible rainfall and floods…_

Takahiro was a noisy sleeper; he yelled out and occasionally walked around. Now that he could access chakra consciously, he would do it unconsciously. Naruto glanced at him produce a failed clone next to him. Naruto frowned and saw black markings on his stomach appear when he created a clone.

Naruto rolled over and saw his father's stone face. _Was the Kyuubi really sealed by the Shiki Fuujin? From what Tou-san had said about that jutsu, apart from forbidding me to ever learn it, was that it took the caster's life along with whatever life he chose. Could the Kyuubi really be sealed away with a jutsu like that? It seems too easy…_

Naruto frowned and produced a small wind style jutsu to bounce off in the room to cool off. Even at hours when the moon shone, it was still hot.

_Perhaps it's not that. Perhaps Tou-san sealed it away…he was a master a fuuinjutsu after all. I'd dismissed Tou-san saying a jutsu name right before the blinding light came for years now. But what if that's what I'd been missing? What if _Tou-san_ sealed the Kyuubi inside Takahiro? It would make sense; the Shiki Fuujin's purpose was only to bring things down in death and taking down the Kyuubi like that is too easy._

Naruto groaned. He sat up and crawled out of the window. The red-haired seventeen-year-old lay down on the roof of the building. He stared at the moon for ten minutes before deciding to go back inside. He rubbed his eyes and walked around the apartment. He found himself looking at the bookcase. His eyes softened as he saw the photo album. He reached for it, but hesitated. His arm hung down at his side and he sighed.

Naruto slipped on a pair of shorts and walked out of the apartment. He quickly got down the stairs in an attempt to create wind around himself to cool off. Then he walked down some random streets.

Naruto had sensed his chakra before he saw him. Naruto stopped a few feet short of a bench with a lamppost lighting it. An Academy student sat in the light and turned to look in Naruto's direction after he stopped suppressing his chakra.

"Come out, I can sense your chakra," he said.

Naruto grinned and obeyed.

"Naruto-san," the boy greeted. "Good morning, I guess."

Naruto took a seat next to him and looked at the sky that threatened to break into daylight, but still remained dark.

"You should put on a shirt if you're going out in public like this," the raven-haired boy looked at his chest as if it were a disease.

"It's hot. You're wearing _dark_ blue. What, do you have a death wish?" Naruto joked.

The boy lowly chuckled. "I'm glad, though."

"For?"

"You always find a way to make it seem like things are going to be okay or it's alright, even if I know there's a criminal in this world I want to eradicate," the black-eyed boy said.

"What, I make you actually show emotion?" Naruto smirked.

"Yeah. It's strange. I can't even do that in front of Takahiro and he's got a more potent personality than you do," the light-skinned boy sighed.

"And I'm the only person you'll call, -san," Naruto noted. "Which criminal? I've got a Bingo Book that was a gift from an Elite Jounin and it's got over a ten million ryo worth of criminals."

"You know which," the boy said, mirth ebbing away from his voice.

"I do," Naruto nodded. Itachi's smiling face flashed in his face. "You've got your Genin test today and team placement the next day, don't you?"

"Yeah. Are you a Jounin sensei?"

"No."

"Why?"

Naruto shrugged.

"Do you have any idea who my team will be? Or the Jounin sensei?" the boy asked.

"Hmm…do I have an idea? No. I know for facts," Naruto grinned.

"Tell me," the boy pleaded.

"Uchiha shouldn't be so nosy," Naruto waggled his finger. Sasuke glared.

"Fine, fine. You're on a team with Uzumaki Takahiro and Haruno Sakura. I don't want to ruin the surprise so I'll keep your Jounin sensei a secret. However, you might want to eat lunch after you get team placements; he'll be awhile," Naruto said.

"It's Kakashi, isn't it?" Sasuke asked. "I remember the first and last time he taught Takahiro and I eight years ago. All he did was read his book and throw kunai at us. Then he told us about bathhouses and how we shouldn't peep and such."

"So that's how…"

"What?"

"Do you know Jiraiya-sama? One of the Legendary Sannin?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Takahiro had caught him peeping and they argued. I had to break them up but I couldn't figure out how a four-year-old knew peeping was bad. I had never taken him to a bathhouse. Now I know," Naruto said. "Since you're going to be on Takahiro's team, there's something you should know. This is a village secret, but I trust you. If I find out you leak out this information, I will kill you," Naruto looked at him seriously. Sasuke looked shocked and nodded, knowing Naruto wasn't one to break his promises easily. Naruto sent out his chakra in waves and didn't sense anyone nearby.

"Takahiro is the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki," Naruto whispered.

"What?" Sasuke hissed. "But…"

"There's something else I've only told a soul: I have a kekkei genkai to suppress the Kyuubi's chakra should the seal weaken or break," Naruto said. "If you tell anyone you know either of these things, I will kill you."

Sasuke nodded. "How is it that you have a kekkei genkai?"

"It's a long and boring story. I'm not really one to go on and on about petty things like that," Naruto sighed.

The two sat in silence until dawn began to break into the sky. It didn't take long since it was summer. Naruto stood and walked away without another word with his hands in his pockets. Sasuke sighed and left the bench to walk in the opposite direction to his clan compound.

* * *

><p>"Don't you even value sleep?" Takahiro groaned as Naruto dragged him out of bed, literally.<p>

"You can't be late today. Today is the first step in becoming a shinobi of Konoha," Naruto said and threw him in the shower with the threat that if he took longer than five minutes, he'd be dragged out naked. Four minutes later, Takahiro walked out of the bathroom dressed with his hair sticking out at strange angles. Naruto stared at him and Takahiro sighed and tried to fix it.

Naruto handed him a bento and shooed him out of the apartment. Once Takahiro had gone down the stairs to get to ground level to walk to the Academy for the last time, Naruto walked out of the apartment to see…

Oh.

Naruto internally kicked himself.

Friends.

_None_.

Itachi had been his only friend. At times like this, Naruto wished he had more friends. He could take a mission, but then he'd miss congratulating Takahiro on graduating.

Naruto trudged through the village with no specific place he wanted to go. He found himself at the library, of all places. He was greeted warmly. Naruto returned the greeting with politeness, which for some reason, in addition of his blue eyes and red hair and toned body (which he tried to hide with his baggy shirts) and smarts and skill women liked. The librarian looked up and blinked and then asked him if he needed anything, if he needed any kind of book and yes, he could go up to the Jounin section if he wanted.

Naruto thanked her and went up to the Chuunin section, in case her shift ended (which he doubted she'd leave unless he did) and a librarian who was a stickler to the rules replaced her.

Naruto ended up getting bored after reading a few books. He sighed and walked out of the library.

Naruto saw Ichiraku and despite the fact he wasn't crazy about ramen, it was good in moderation. Naruto took a seat and ordered shoyu ramen. As he slurped his ramen, memories from thirteen years ago when his parents had brought him here after he and Minato had come back from the war flooded back to him. Naruto remembered how his parents had bickered over which flavor of ramen was better.

Kushina had said it was miso ramen with extra pork and Minato had praised Naruto over picking his favorite: shoyu ramen. Kushina was horrified. Partly because of the fact Naruto and her had the same hair and partly because she was just horrified her own child would side with the one person who always lost an argument against her.

Naruto had made sure to eat his ramen slowly as to pass time. Today the Academy started at 9 and Naruto finished his ramen at 10. The Academy would probably end at 10:30. _Still another half hour…_Naruto groaned as he paid and left.

Naruto kept walking. Eventually, he found himself atop of the Yondaime's stone head.

"Tou-san, Takahiro is graduating today. Did you go?" Naruto asked. No response.

Naruto chuckled softly and jumped across rooftops to get to the Academy. He was surprised when he saw Takahiro sitting on a swing, crying. Before he could approach his brother, Sasuke stopped him.

"Sasuke?" Naruto turned.

"I passed," Sasuke grinned.

"Sasuke, was there any doubt from anyone that you wouldn't pass?" Naruto looked at him in a way that said, 'Really?'

"So?" Sasuke frowned. "Well, Takahiro has been touchy lately. I tried to cheer him up, but he ended up yelling at me. I guess he's just disappointed. That's why I stopped you; you're his idol and seeing you would just make him feel worse."

Naruto blinked. "I never thought of it that way."

Naruto turned to look back at Takahiro, but he was gone. Naruto sighed. "I should find him. Here," Naruto handed him a ticket for a plate of free dango.

"Thanks, Naruto-san," Sasuke said and walked off.

* * *

><p>Naruto still couldn't find Takahiro when it was nightfall. He noticed how there as a group forming around the Hokage. Naruto ran over and was surprised to hear the Hokage's words.<p>

"Takahiro has stolen the Scroll of Sealing," Hiruzen said.

"It gets outside the village, it will be a serious problem!" a shinobi said.

"W-what? Takahiro isn't always thinking before he does anything, but he isn't that stupid!" Naruto argued.

"Bring Takahiro here," Hiruzen said. Hearing this, the group of shinobi scattered to find Takahiro.

Naruto and Iruka went to the forest. It was a rather large place with so many places to hide but Takahiro never concealed his chakra, so it was easy to find him.

"Why would he steal it?" Naruto muttered.

"I don't know. What if he learns one of the jutsu in it?" Iruka worried.

"I might just have to put seals on his memory is he doesn't know the jutsu, but it could compromise the jutsu he does know and the jutsu he will learn," Naruto sighed.

They quickly ran to the large amount of chakra was being let out and dispersed.

"Takahiro!" Iruka yelled.

"Hey there, Iruka-sensei. I got caught. I was only able to learn one technique," Takahiro smiled sheepishly. "Is there anyone else with you?"

Iruka turned around and didn't see Naruto. "N-no…"

"Hey, I'm going to show you this amazing jutsu and then I'll graduate! If I show you a jutsu from here, you'll let me graduate, right?"

"Who said that?" Iruka asked.

"Mizuki-sensei did," Takahiro grinned. "He told me about this place and this scroll."

Before Iruka could question this, kunai rushed towards Takahiro. Iruka shoved Takahiro out of the way and the kunai impaled him.

"Takahiro, hand over the scroll," Mizuki said.

"W-what's going on here?" Takahiro looked at Iruka and Mizuki, confused.

"Don't let him get the scroll, Takahiro," Iruka said. "Naruto, where are you?!"

"Oh, Naruto, huh? I got rid of him," Mizuki grinned.

"That scroll has dangerous and forbidden techniques. He used you to get it," Iruka said.

"Iruka is just afraid of you having the scroll," Mizuki said.

"Don't give it to him!" Iruka yelled.

"Hehe…I'll tell you the truth, Takahiro," Mizuki grinned. "A law was made after the Kyuubi incident 12 years ago. It's a law that forbids you to find out."

"Only me? What are you talking about?" Takahiro asked, his eyes wide.

"Takahiro…it's a law that forbids anyone from saying that your true form is the Kyuubi!" Mizuki said. "In other words, you're the one who killed Iruka's an Naruto's parents and destroyed the village!"

"Stop!" Iruka yelled.

"You've been deceived by the villagers all this time. Didn't you ever think it was strange that everyone hated you?"

"But…Nii-chan doesn't hate me," Takahiro argued. Tears ran down his face and chakra around him became visible.

"No one is ever going to acknowledge you! Even Naruto and Iruka hate you! Die, Takahiro!" Mizuki yelled as he threw a huge shuriken at him.

"Takahiro, get down!" Iruka yelled as he moved to block it. Iruka had blood running down the corners of his mouth as he shook from pain.

"Why?" Takahiro asked.

"Because you're my favorite student…because I don't hate you…because I'm an orphan…just like you," Iruka said.

"Don't make me laugh! Iruka has hated you since you killed his parents!" Mizuki said. With that, Takahiro ran off.

"Takahiro!" Iruka yelled.

"As long as I kill Naruto and get that scroll, I'm okay. I'll take care of you later," Mizuki said and raced off to get Takahiro. Iruka glared in his direction. He transformed into Takahiro and punched Mizuki out of the trees and onto the ground.

"How…"

"Because I'm Iruka," Takahiro grinned and transformed back into Iruka. The real Takahiro hid behind a tree.

"What good is protecting the one who killed your parents? Naruto is the same as me; he'll use the scroll instead of his true form's powers," Mizuki said.

"The same? Yeah, you're right," Iruka said. Takahiro flinched. "If, he was the Kyuubi. But, he's different. He's an excellent student I recognize. Even though he never studies or does his homework, he trains harder than anyone else. He's not the Kyuubi. He's a shinobi of Konoha, Uzumaki Takahiro!"

"I said I'd take care of you later, but I'll kill you now!" Mizuki yelled as he threw a huge shuriken at Iruka. Suddenly, the trajectory was thrown off as Takahiro sent Mizuki flying back a few feet and the shuriken into the trees.

As Takahiro created perhaps a hundred clones around Mizuki, the huge shuriken was thrown back at Mizuki.

"Y-you're still alive?" Mizuki asked the trees. In this distraction, Takahiro capitalized on it and beat him until he was bloody.

Takahiro panted and grinned at Iruka.

"Good job, Takahiro," a voice said. Takahiro looked up and glared. _Another enemy…_

Fifty clones materialized and tried to apprehend the enemy in the shadows. As dawn was approaching, Takahiro saw a flicker of red. In a few seconds, his clones were dispersed in multiple 'poofs'.

"Am I that scary?" Naruto joked. He patted Takahiro's head. Takahiro stared at him and Naruto wiped something off his face.

"Don't cry, Takahiro. Tou-san doesn't want you to cry," Naruto smiled.

"Nii-chan…did you know?" Takahiro threw himself at him and hugged him, shaking from sobs.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Takahiro. If you knew, it would put you at serious risk. The reason is because someone might want to take advantage of the fact you possess such power and some people want it. In the future, there may be people like that and you have to be ready and protect yourself. And, don't be so down. Tou-san's last wish was for you to be seen as a hero," Naruto smiled.

"Really?" Takahiro asked.

"'Tou-san'?" Iruka asked. "You two are…I thought Takahiro called you 'Nii-chan' just because you two lived together."

Naruto bent down and whispered in his ear. "You know who my father is. Takahiro doesn't need to know. Please don't tell anyone, its yet another village secret." Naruto smiled. Iruka nodded. "You have my word."

"Takahiro, close your eyes," Iruka said. Takahiro did as he was told. He felt something touch his forehead and Iruka allowed him to open his eyes. Takahiro looked up and saw the glint of the Konoha hitai-ate. Takahiro grinned and threw himself into Iruka to hug.

Iruka smiled and patted the boy's head. Naruto stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky.

* * *

><p>"Team 7: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Takahiro," Iruka read off.<br>"You passed?" Sasuke asked Takahiro.

"Yep," Takahiro grinned.

"I can't believe I'm on a team with you," Sakura glared at Takahiro. "At least I'm with Sasuke-kun!"

After reading out the rest of the team placements, Team 7 was left to wait for their Jounin sensei.

"Takahiro, Naruto-san said that our Jounin sensei would take awhile to get here and how we should get lunch," Sasuke turned to Takahiro.

"Nii-chan said that? He's so terrible, telling you stuff he won't even tell his own brother," Takahiro huffed.

"He didn't?" Sasuke asked. He smirked. "I can see why."

"What do you mean?" Takahiro narrowed his eyes.

"I mean you're an idiot," Sasuke smirked.

"What?!" Takahiro tried to grab Sasuke's collar, but the Uchiha simply pushed him away. Takahiro and Sasuke ended up getting into a taijutsu battle with kunai mixed into it.

After ten minutes with Sakura playing cheerleader on Team Sasuke, Sasuke eventually won. Takahiro glared but reluctantly took Sasuke's outstretched hand.

"So, where should we get lunch?" Sasuke asked.

"Wherever you want, Sasuke-kun," Sakura smiled.

"Ramen," Takahiro answered simply.

Sasuke sighed. "I'll be back."

"Why're you going alone?" Takahiro raised a brow.

"So you don't drive me into bankruptcy. I'm getting two bowls. What do you two want?" Sasuke asked.

"Miso ramen with extra pork," Takahiro grinned.

"Anything is good," Sakura blushed hard, so happy 'Sasuke-kun' was getting her lunch. It's almost like a date, but she wasn't going along. At least Takahiro wasn't either.

With Sasuke gone for the moment, Sakura was left with Takahiro. She glared whenever Takahiro would try to start a conversation. Takahiro was getting a little discouraged, but he had to keep trying.

"You are still waiting?"

Takahiro and Sakura looked up to see a Chuunin. A lanky, blue-eyed, red-haired…

"Jerk," Takahiro said.

"I remember when I liked a girl," Naruto said.

"Pssh…as if Nii-chan would have feelings for anything other than his own self," Takahiro crossed his arms.

"Takahiro! That's no way to talk to the Chuunin everyone talks about like that!" Sakura slapped his arm.

"Sakura-chan…" Takahiro whined.

"Naruto-kun, you liked a girl?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, past tense. I moved on," Naruto sat in one of the Academy chairs. "Your sensei will be here in about…two hours."

"Moved on? Who was she? Did she like you back? What did she look like?" Sakura fired off questions.

"Two hours?" Takahiro choked. "No way…"

"Moved on. Her name was Yuuko. I don't know if she liked me back. As for looks, she had black hair and black eyes. Flawless skin," Naruto smiled.

"Why did you move on? If she was pretty, a strong shinobi why didn't you ask her out or did she have a boyfriend or like someone else?" Sakura sat down next to him.

"I had to move on. I don't know if she had a boyfriend," Naruto laughed a little. The twinge of anguish and look of sadness in Naruto's eyes didn't go unnoticed by Takahiro.

"Nii-chan, what happened to her?" Takahiro asked. As Takahiro stared into his brother's eyes, Sasuke came back.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura tried to glomp him, but he dodged and handed them their ramen.

"Sorry, Naruto-san, I didn't know you were going to be here. What's gotten Takahiro and Sakura so interested?" Sasuke sat down and turned around to listen to Naruto.

"Well, we were talking about my love life. I used to like this girl, Yuuko. I eventually moved on even though she had pretty black eyes and hair and flawless skin," Naruto said.

"Used to? Moved on? Why? What happened to her?" Sasuke asked as he ate a dango stick. Sasuke luckily bought two sticks and handed Naruto one.

"She died," Naruto said, his voice sad despite his cheerful face.

"What?!" Sakura asked. "How?!"

"That's too depressing. I won't ruin the three of your foods," Naruto said.

"Tell us!" Sakura and Takahiro pleaded. Sasuke remained silent.

* * *

><p>Two hours passed.<p>

The three Genin were still hounding Naruto to tell them what happened to this Yuuko girl.

"Naruto-kun! Tell us!" Sakura pleaded.

"Nii-chan!"

"Naruto-san, please tell them to make it a little quieter," Sasuke said.

Naruto looked up. "Kakashi-senpai, mind lending a hand?"

Kakashi looked at Naruto and how he'd gotten himself hanging upside down from the ceiling. Kakashi sighed. "What did you even do?"

"Love life. I shouldn't. I know," Naruto sighed.

"Why don't you tell them then?" Kakashi said, leaning against the doorframe.

"I told them the way Yuuko died was too depressing and they're not taking me seriously," Naruto said. "Now do you understand?"

"Ah, Yuuko. I get it," Kakashi moved to untie Naruto from his binds on the ceiling. Naruto did a backflip and stretched a little. "Thanks."

"You know?! Tell us!" the three Genin pleaded, kneeling on the ground and bowing in unison.

"My first impression? I like you three. But not enough to tell you," Kakashi eye-smiled. "Meet me on the roof."

Kakashi and Naruto disappeared to the roof and Takahiro and Sasuke used the window frames to get up to the roof quickly. Sakura took another five minutes since she took the stairs…

Kakashi signed to Naruto. _How did she die?_

_You don't know?_

_I forgot._

_She was an Uchiha._

_I see why you didn't want them to hear it, especially Sasuke. _

_He wants to kill Itachi and involving me in it would just make him more hate-filled. _

_Itachi's a terrible criminal. You can't help Sasuke for thinking that. _Kakashi signed.

_Yeah. _Naruto stopped signing. Itachi was still a sad subject for him.

"Naruto-san, tell me," Sasuke pleaded.

"She died on a mission a few years ago. That's about it," Naruto said.

"That's it?" Takahiro asked. "Nii-chan, you jerk! Making us wait just for that lame girl!"

"Sorry," Naruto said.

With that, Kakashi started with introductions.


	5. Safe

Lie no.5: Safe

Kakashi had ended up passing Team 7, much to everyone's shock. Naruto was being briefed on a mission he was going on when Team 7 came in for a mission. Naruto and Kakashi nodded to each other.

Kakashi noticed how Naruto didn't have an aura of depression he'd had when he was taking D-Rank missions when Takahiro was in the Academy. Naruto hadn't seemed to have changed much, but he carried more scrolls and wore black gloves. Naruto smiled and Kakashi knew from the easy-going smile Naruto had today that he'd taken approximately eight C-Rank missions and two B-Rank missions. He was probably asking for an A-Rank mission.

But this was an assumption.

But on the other hand, once you're a seasoned shinobi with over twenty years of experience, more than just combat skills are gained. For example, reading facial expressions and sometimes minds.

"Naruto-san, are you here for a mission?" Sasuke asked.

"Nii-chan, give us anything but a D-Rank mission…it's killing me!" Takahiro begged.

Naruto cocked his head and smiled with his eyes closed and his eyebrows curved upwards.

"I'm not in charge of that," Naruto said. "You're going to have to ask Hokage-sama _properly._"

A chill was felt in the air at Naruto's last word. Takahiro cringed and hid behind Kakashi. Naruto smiled again and the air felt less heavy. Hiruzen sighed. _Just like Kushina, but with more tact._

"Hokage-ji, give me anything but a D-Rank! A C-Rank mission! A B-Rank mission! Or maybe even an Unclassified mission because those are really cool! Nii-chan, have you gone on an Unclassified mission?" Takahiro looked over at Naruto from his kneeling stance, groveling at the table where Hiruzen had all the scrolls.

Naruto smiled and the air seemed to freeze.

"Takahiro, I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. Say it again," Naruto smiled, his eyes open and icy despite their vivid color. Takahiro silently screamed.

"H-Hokage-s-sama…please give me a mission," Takahiro said.

"Let's see…the D-Rank missions I have are—" Hiruzen started.

"N-no, Hokage-s-sama, I'd l-like a C-Rank m-mission," Takahiro said.

"Kakashi, do you think your team is ready?" Hiruzen looked at the Jounin. Kakashi looked at Takahiro and Sasuke and Sakura.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said.  
>"Well, you can escort this bridge builder on his trip back to the Land of Waves," Hiruzen said. Takahiro tuned out the rest of what Hiruzen said to see Naruto still smiling at him. Takahiro froze and couldn't break eye contact. Naruto's gaze seemed too restraining.<p>

"Naruto, I have an A-Rank mission for you to escort this woman back to Kirigakure. Ah, it seems you and Team 7 will be taking the same route as you; she is going to a nearby island before she goes to Kirigakure. Completing this mission will yield 100,000 ryo (1,000,000円, $8,428.51). She is an important councilmember," Hiruzen said.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Naruto looked at Takahiro as he bowed. Takahiro flinched and bowed to the Hokage as the rest of Team 7 followed suit. The drunken bridge builder and the councilwoman came in. Unlike the drunk, the woman was dressed nicely. The moment she saw Naruto, who politely smiled and the tension Takahiro felt lifted, her eyes lit up and she ran over to Naruto. The bottom of her kimono caught on something on the floor and she began to fall. Naruto's eyes widened for a moment before he caught her.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked.

"Y-yes, are you my escort back to Kirigakure?" she asked.

"Yes," Naruto smiled and he and Team 7 walked out. The drunken bridge builder was complaining about how he didn't get Naruto as his escort and Kakashi simply replied that he was of a higher rank and he has nothing to worry about.

Meanwhile, the woman kept smiling and talking to Naruto. Sasuke and Takahiro were turning purple from holding in their laughter.

"I'm Yamada Moriko," the woman blushed a little. "What is your name?"

"I'm Namikaze Naruto," Naruto said. Team 7 and Naruto arrived at the gates. Naruto glanced at Izumo and Kotetsu and gave them a look that if they spoke a word of the woman to anyone, he'd personally make it so that they couldn't speak anymore. Izumo and Kotetsu flinched and in sync said, "Good luck on your journeys!"

"Thanks," Naruto gave another bone chilling smile and their souls flew out of their mouths. Izumo and Kotetsu spent a few minutes after that trying to drag their souls back into their bodies.

"Alright! My first C-Rank mission! This is going to be amazing! I'm going to kick ass!" Takahiro announced as he walked past a puddle.

Naruto and Kakashi exchanged looks and silently drew kunai. The moment they did that, three figures rushed out of the trees. Two were the Demon Brothers and another was a strange looking Kumo nin. The Demon Brothers rushed at Kakashi, who was ripped to shreds, and the Kumo nin rushed at Naruto. Naruto blocked his sword with a kunai and suddenly found he couldn't move.

"That's right; Lightning Release!" the Kumo nin grinned as he channeled more lightning across his sword. As Naruto fell to a kneeling position, another Naruto kicked him as hard as he could in the face. The incapacitated Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke and the real one was beating the Kumo nin until he was unconscious.

Sakura stood in front of the bridge builder and as the other Demon Brother was rushing towards her. Naruto put his kunai away, much to the bridge builder's dismay.

"Three…two…" Naruto counted down. As the word two left his mouth, Kakashi appeared to catch the other Demon Brother in a headlock.

"Kakashi-senpai, you were early and messed up my counting," Naruto said. He turned to Moriko. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," Moriko said, even though she was so pale.

"Sorry, Naruto," Kakashi said.

Naruto looked at the Genin and saw Takahiro was trying to hide a bleeding hand. Naruto grabbed it and was examining it. He sighed.

"Takahiro, why didn't you move and help your teammates?" Naruto asked. "And, you're poisoned."

"W-what?! I can't die here!" Takahiro began to freak out.

"Calm down. By moving around more you're going to cause the poison to spread faster," Naruto said as he took out bandages and unfurled some of it. He looked up and saw how the wound was already healing.

"Kakashi-senpai, look," Naruto said. Kakashi knelt and looked at the wound.

Kakashi signed to Naruto. _That's amazing…_

_I know. It just worries me, though. _

_What does?_

_That _It_ could be influencing him this much. Healing powers…then what? The seal breaks?_

_We both have containment and restraining seals so you shouldn't be worrying._

Naruto sighed and bandaged up Takahiro's hand.

"I didn't ask for your help," Takahiro ripped the bandages off and turned around. Suddenly he stuck a kunai in his hand and made a vow to never have anyone have to protect him again.

"Sorry, Takahiro. For as long as I live, I'm going to be protecting you," Naruto said. Takahiro turned to glare at Naruto, who smiled.

* * *

><p>Team 7 and Naruto finally made it to the halfway point. It was nightfall. Moriko wasn't used to walking so far for so long so Naruto had to carry her. Once Team 7's camp was set up, Naruto pulled out a scroll and unfurled a large portion of it. Takahiro walked over and was about to ask about it when Naruto cut him off.<p>

"Not now, Takahiro; this requires a lot of concentration," Naruto said as he slammed his hands onto the scroll and allowing chakra to flow. Suddenly, in a huge cloud of smoke appeared a small house. It only had two beds, but it was better than sleeping outside and it prevented rain and animals from entering because it also had a barrier seal.

"Nii-chan! No fair!" Takahiro pouted. Naruto snapped his fingers and the seal activated and Takahiro suddenly couldn't get in. Moriko walked past him and easily stepped in.

"Moriko-san is paying a large sum of money. I doubt she'd want to have children in a house when she's paid this much," Naruto shrugged.

"We're family! You can't put a client in front of family!" Takahiro argued. Naruto stepped out of the house and slapped him, hard.

"Takahiro, would you like to say the same thing to me? Or Tou-san and Kaa-san?" Naruto asked quietly.

"What does that mean?!" Takahiro argued. "I don't get it!"

"I had to take D-Rank missions for six years and pay for everything and take care of you and make sure you were okay and had a friend and you were happy and you never saw me cry or complain about it once. I sacrificed friendship and possible girlfriends and money and sometimes food and clean clothes for you and yet I'm still the one who is supporting both of us. As for Tou-san and Kaa-san, they died protecting _you _and the village," Naruto said. He turned around back into the house.

"I never asked for it!" Takahiro yelled. "I never asked for them to protect me! I never asked for you to sacrifice anything!"

Kakashi grabbed Takahiro, but he wiggled out of his grasp and he ran towards the house. To his surprise, the seal wasn't preventing him from coming in.

"I never asked for anything!" Takahiro yelled. Naruto kept chopping vegetables.

"Hey!" Takahiro began to kick his brother's legs and punch his back until it was bruised and bloody. Takahiro panted and continued until he was tired and on the ground, panting. Still, it had no effect on Naruto.

"Why…Nii-chan…why go so far for me? Why sacrifice so much for me? I never wanted any of it! I never wanted Tou-chan and Kaa-chan to die! I never wanted you to have to sacrifice your happiness for my sake," Takahiro said.

"Because I love you. Because Tou-san and Kaa-san loved you," Naruto replied as he began to fry the vegetables. "I took in the pain you inflicted on me because I love you."

"You're an idiot," Takahiro said.  
>"For?" Naruto asked as he added noodles to the pan.<p>

"For sacrificing everything. I would've been fine on my own," Takahiro said.

"Then get out of my apartment. When we get back to Konoha, you have one hour to move all of your stuff out of my apartment and ask Hokage-sama nicely for an apartment, if he even has one on such short notice. I suggest you send word back now to tell him in advance. Go eat with your team," Naruto said as he took Takahiro's collar and thrust him out of the house and reactivated the seal.  
>"Hey! I didn't mean for you to go so far!" Takahiro yelled. "And how to I send word to Hokage-ji then?!"<p>

"Too late. Just like the Medic Corps for Tou-san and Kaa-san," Naruto said softly before he served Moriko yakisoba, fried soba noodles and vegetables and dango, rice dumplings with a salty and sweet sauce over them. As Takahiro slumped to the ground, Sasuke had also eavesdropped, intrigued by what Naruto had said. _What if…Nii-san was the same way? No, that's ridiculous. He's a murderer. He tried to kill me that night. All Naruto-san does is protect Takahiro and I. _

* * *

><p>Naruto lay in his bed, thinking over what he'd said. He turned over and sighed. <em>Maybe I shouldn't have said that… <em>Naruto beat his head with a pillow and screamed into it. He paused, trying to hear Moriko's breathing. He heard it in a rhythmic pattern and was relieved; she was still asleep.

He sat up and got a glass of water. He looked up as he felt the seal activating over and over to prevent someone from coming in. Naruto looked over at the window and pocked his head out.

"Yes?" Naruto asked. "Oh, it's you."

"Don't 'it's you' me. I'm still hungry and I know that that weak lady didn't eat all of the food," Takahiro growled.

"What if I ate the rest of all the food? Then what?" Naruto asked levelly.

"But you like, always pick at your food. You never finish anything," Takahiro said.

"And who exactly eats the rest of my food?" Naruto asked. Takahiro flinched.

"See? There's another sacrifice I make. I'm pretty sure I can count my ribs now," Naruto gave a fake smile.

"Y-you…you're starving yourself? Why?" Takahiro asked in a whisper.

"For you," Naruto said.

"What about all the money you get? Where is that going?"

"I was saving up. And the other part is that if I didn't take high paying missions like this, I wouldn't be able to cover the cost of feeding you. You eat my portion and perhaps five times your portion. Then you need bento. Then you need to take these long showers and keep the lights on for hours. Then our apartment itself is expensive. The bill is something you'll never see since you're moving out and I'll be able to fill out again, for the first time in over a decade," Naruto said.

"You're crazy," Takahiro said. "I can't believe you're this insane…"

"If I hadn't taken care of you when you were little, like when I burnt my back with curry, what would you have done?" Naruto asked. "I am well within sound reasoning."

* * *

><p>Morning came. Naruto had been awake for some time already. He knew he couldn't regret what he'd said and Takahiro was able to take missions by himself and therefore have income. Naruto had no doubt that Takahiro would 1) beg to come back and 2) be perfectly fine on his own. Naruto sat up and woke Moriko up.<p>

"Moriko-san, it's time to go," Naruto shook her awake. She blinked and then her face reddened.

"N-Namikaze-san…yes, yes, time to go," Moriko said and got up. She gathered her things and stepped outside. Naruto unfurled his scroll and summoned more chakra.

"Fuuin!" Naruto yelled and the house disappeared into the scroll. He smiled and put the scroll away.

Naruto leaned against a tree and watched Team 7 get woken up by Kakashi and quickly take down camp. Kakashi leaned against the same tree and looked at Naruto. Naruto wasn't smiling; he had an almost anguished face.

"I know," Naruto said. "I shouldn't have."

"He's got to live on his own someday. But I never knew you were starving yourself and sacrificed so much."

"I'd like for that to never reach more ears than it already has. Takahiro is already hated by the villagers and for them to find out that I've been doing this for him, they'll surely try to kill him," Naruto said quietly.

"And you'll be right there," Kakashi said.

"Just like my parents. Did you see them, in their final moments?"

"No, we were held back because we were still young. I suppose you got past all that?"

"Yeah," Naruto said as he pushed off the tree and went to stand by Moriko. Kakashi looked at Naruto's body and saw how the shirt and Chuunin vest he wore for once seemed too large and didn't hug him like Kakashi's Jounin vest did. Kakashi closed his visible eye. _Minato-sensei, what would you have done if you were here?_

The walk to the Land of Waves was in silence. The Genin were silent; Sasuke and Sakura were in no mood to get yelled at by a venting Takahiro, who was angry and hurt and embarrassed he got disciplined in front of them. Kakashi and Naruto stayed alert for enemies and Moriko and the bridge builder had no intention of exchanging words.

Once Team 7 found a boat, they disappeared into the mist. Moriko looked confused and was about to question the fact that Naruto hadn't prepared a boat. Then, Naruto picked her up and raced across the water's surface. Moriko stared into his blue eyes and wondered just how deep the scars of pain went.

"N-Namikaze-san, how is it that you're running across the water's surface?" Moriko asked.

"I channel chakra to my feet and repel the water. Then I run like I would on land," Naruto replied. "It's easy if you don't have a lot of chakra, but it took me a month to learn this; I have a lot of chakra."

"And…if you don't mind me asking…how did your parents die? Oh…oh…nevermind me, sorry I asked," Moriko said.

"It's fine. They died twelve years ago. Have you heard of the Kyuubi incident on Konoha?" Naruto asked.

"Yes."

"Well, my mother had given birth to my brother that night. My father was with her and with a newborn child in their arms, they fought off the Kyuubi and died protecting the village and my brother," Naruto said. "It's not an uncommon story among some of the children in the village."

"S-sorry I asked," Moriko said.

"It's fine. Really," Naruto smiled.

The two continued their journey to the island for another ten minutes. It didn't take long for them to reach the island. Naruto put down Moriko and she brushed off her kimono. She led Naruto to the island, which turned out to be an island with very expensive merchants selling silk and precious stones.

Naruto sensed someone watching him so he created a clone to stay with Moriko while he slipped into the forest. He quickly found a figure and pulled out a kunai.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not here to fight. I was going to ask how you had such red hair. I was looking for my sister and I thought you would know her since she lives in Konoha. I've gotten lost though," the man sighed.

"What does red hair have to do with it?" Naruto didn't put his kunai away.

"Well, we came from a clan with red hair. And you have the same color hair she had and it's hard to miss even in a huge village like Konoha," the man said.

"What was her name?" Naruto asked, his chest getting tight.

"Uzumaki Kushina," the man said, looking a little hopeful.

"She's dead," Naruto said, putting his kunai away.

"W-what? How?" the man looked flustered. "Did you know her?!"

"She died protecting Konoha. I knew her," Naruto sighed. "She was really close to me so stay here for a few days while I complete my mission. I'll take you to Konoha."

"Close? How close?" the man frowned.

"I'll put it this way: you're my uncle," Naruto said as he disappeared back to protect Moriko.


	6. You

Lie no.6: You

Kakashi woke up in a room he didn't know with Takahiro, who was trying to strangle a younger boy with Sakura holding the blonde back and Sasuke was watching the exchange with no interest whatsoever. Kakashi moved and pain shot through him. His covered eye hurt a little. He closed his visible eye and put a hand on his head.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked. "Are you feeling better?"

Kakashi nodded. He almost asked what had happened the day before but he thought about it and remembered. Momochi Zabuza and a Kiri Hunter nin. The way Zabuza had been stabbed in the neck, Kakashi doubted it had killed him and therefore he was possibly still alive. As for the Hunter nin, Kakashi had a bad feeling about them.

"Here," a strange woman with almost bluish hair handed him rice soup with chopped green onions in it. Kakashi nodded his thanks and began eating.

"You three," Kakashi stopped for a moment. The three Genin looked at him. "I think Zabuza is still alive; the way the Hunter nin stabbed him avoided major arteries. Zabuza won't come for us for maybe three days but I'd like to teach you three some things. Get dressed and meet me outside," Kakashi said.

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei," the Genin said and left Kakashi in peace. Kakashi sighed and finished the last bit of his soup. He pulled the blanket off him and donned his usual attire. The strange blue-haired woman came back to hand him a crutch. Kakashi wanted to burn it, but on the other hand, he knew he needed it.

"Thanks," Kakashi said and waited for his Genin outside. He leaned against the wall and began to read his orange book.

At times like this he wished he could get lost in his book and never come out, never come out to see the mistakes he'd made. The

"Sensei, let's go," Sasuke said as Sakura dragged Takahiro out.

Kakashi led the way to the forest. It was peaceful and this was yet another place Kakashi wished to be, but could never stay.

"I want you three to walk up to the top of the tree," Kakashi said.

"How?" Takahiro asked.

"Channel the right amount of chakra to not stick or fall down the bark of the tree. Use a kunai to mark your place. I want all three of you to get to the top," Kakashi said as he sat down against a tree and began reading again. The fantasies in the book were too much for him to be thinking about in the place of himself and some random woman, but it had a good storyline.

After five minutes, Kakashi looked up. He saw Takahiro and Sasuke not even halfway and Sakura at the top. Sakura jumped down and smiled at Sasuke and glared at Takahiro. Takahiro smiled at Sakura while Sasuke had his usual face of indifference. Kakashi briefly wondered if he ever let down that face to talk to someone freely.

"Sakura-chan, please tell me the trick!" Takahiro pleaded.

"Sakura, go to the bridge to protect the bridge builder," Kakashi said before she could tell Sasuke. Sasuke and Takahiro glared at Kakashi as Sakura looked at Sasuke sadly and walked away.

For the next two hours, the two boys struggled to get up the tree. Kakashi flirted with the idea of telling them a hint, but he decided not to. It was fun seeing them struggle.

"I bet if Nii-chan were here, he'd help me," Takahiro mumbled.

"From the argument you two had, I doubt that. Your life isn't in danger and you're finally learning something new to be a better shinobi. I predict that he would sit with me and we'd talk about our Genin days…well, he didn't really have Genin days, but Chuunin days would do…eh, maybe not. Maybe…no," Kakashi sighed. "Takahiro, if there's something truly saddening about Naruto is that he is a shell. He lives and breathes to protect Konoha and you. That's it. He has no friends or people that would give up their time to invite him to eat somewhere or something. His former best friend turned traitor and his parents died in front of him. All he has left is probably useless mementos and a few jutsu and you."

"W-what? What are you talking about? He's got plenty of friends!" Takahiro argued.

"Be prepared to never see him again," Kakashi said. "The ANBU is a perfect place for people like him; skills as a shinobi and no ties to prevent him from going."

"Ties? He has me," Takahiro said.

"Not anymore. You're able to provide for yourself by earning money from missions. Raising you is over for him. Now, protecting you is a bonus of being a Konoha ANBU," Kakashi said. "I'm going back to my book. Keep practicing. You two can stop in an hour for lunch."

* * *

><p>Takahiro was eerily silent. He ate his onigiri with no joy, even though the filling was a delicious umeboshi, pickled plum. He sipped water and eventually choked on it. Sasuke patted his back to help him stop choking. Even though there was five onigiri left, Takahiro didn't bother with the rest of them. He sat with his back on the grass and his blue eyes looked up at the sky.<p>

He suddenly sat up.

"What?" Sasuke looked at him.

"I know how to make Nii-chan feel better! I'm sure he's depressed all the time and if I help him, I'm sure he'll appreciate it!" Takahiro said.

"How?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, we need to find him a girlfriend, for starters. Then I need to find a picture of my parents and then a picture of me and Nii-chan and put it all together and then he'll be happy since it's a family picture," Takahiro said. "The only problem is the fact some of the books have seals on them so I can't read it unless he deactivates it. I bet those have pictures of my parents. If he isn't willing to deactivate them, I'll go to Hokage-ji and then he'll help me."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then…" Takahiro smiled sheepishly. "I don't know. Maybe I should just stick to the girlfriend idea. Kakashi-sensei, how would I get a girlfriend for Nii-chan?"

"You don't," Kakashi said.

"What?"

"Well, he really liked this girl but she died. After committing himself like that, I doubt he'll want to open his heart again to more chances of death to scar it again. He's a sad fellow; I've already told you," Kakashi said. "Now that you've eaten, go back to training."

Takahiro and Sasuke did as they were told. Kakashi found it funny they complied so easily; Takahiro at least fought more. Kakashi pinned this up to the fact Kushina was brash and loud and played by no one's rules and Takahiro embodied this fully. Naruto was more like his father both in terms of looks (minus the blonde hair) and intelligence but had a streak of his mother's extremely potent killer intent.

When evening fell, Kakashi closed his book and looked at the Genin, who looked thoroughly exhausted. Sasuke shakily got to his feet and slung Takahiro's arm across his shoulders and they slowly walked home. Kakashi was now glad he had a crutch that was his excuse to repel Takahiro's whining.

It took a long half hour for them to get home. Kakashi was being considerate and slowing his pace for them. Neither Genin noticed it, of course. They were too busy being tired and moving their exhausted legs one after the other to get to the bridge builder's home.

Sakura opened the door to see her sensei and two teammates. A gust of warm air and delicious food smells rushed towards the three males. Her eyes lit up as she saw Sasuke. Then she saw Takahiro's arm slung across Sasuke's shoulders. Anger rose in her and she sucked in air to chastise Takahiro.

"I'm hungry," Sasuke said to save Takahiro the painful words of a girl who would never like him back. Sakura blinked and blushed as she motioned for him to sit, telling him that dinner was almost ready.

Team 7's male Genin ate two helpings and Sakura halfway ate hers. Kakashi ended up finishing his rice and soup. His chopsticks rested in his hands as he watched Takahiro argue with the bridge builder's grandson.

After the grandson left in a tantrum, the bridge builder told them a mildly depressing story of his adoptive father. Sasuke and Kakashi and Takahiro had heard worse and the first two had experienced worse. Sakura was truly the sheltered one; she was moved to the point where she was crying.

"Sakura-chan, don't cry," Takahiro gave her a smile. She didn't want to admit it, but his smile made her feel better inside. However, she simply yelled at him for not understanding why she was crying. That wasn't even a lie, in her mind.

Then they went their separate ways to prepare for sleep. Sakura changed and brushed her hair and made her teeth as white as she could. Meanwhile, the males were changing and waiting for her to get out of the bathroom. After a few minutes, Sakura let the males brush their teeth.

A few minutes later, the house was dark and everyone was asleep, except for Takahiro and Kakashi. Kakashi knew the boy wasn't asleep, but Takahiro didn't know that Kakashi was awake.

"Kakashi-sensei, do you think Nii-chan will forgive me?" Takahiro asked. Kakashi didn't respond, seeing how it was an incredibly ridiculous question. Of course Naruto would forgive him. But, would Naruto let him live with him again? No. That was something that would actually be good for Takahiro.

* * *

><p>Once Moriko had spent enough, Naruto arranged for an inn room. She had a whole room to herself.<p>

"But…what about you?" she asked.

"I'm your escort. I'll be able to protect you better if I'm outside," Naruto smiled politely and jumped on the roof.

Moriko decided not to argue and simply got ready for sleep. She tied her hair up in a way so that it wouldn't be tangled in the morning; she didn't want Naruto to be burdened with having to wait for her. Then she changed out of her kimono and into some silk pajamas she'd bought earlier that day. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. _I wonder if Namikaze-san would think I looked nice in this…_

She gasped and slapped her face. _No way I can be thinking about that! I'm so old! I'm nearly 25! _

"We have your order of assorted wagashi, traditional sweets," a knock and voice came from the door. She rushed over and opened the door.

"I didn't order any…" she said.

"We know," the man grinned and a quick chop to her neck knocked her unconscious. He ran down the corridor and suddenly stopped as a kunai almost impaled him; it hit the wall.

"Ah, looks like I need to work on my aim," Naruto sighed. "Give Moriko-san back."

Before Naruto could make him give her back, Naruto's leg screamed in pain. Naruto turned and saw Kumo nin throwing huge amounts of kunai and shuriken at him. He drew a kunai to block the kunai and shuriken. A clone appeared next to him and took over blocking as he weaved signs for a fire style jutsu. Flames exploded from his mouth and went towards the Kumo nin. Once the flames died down, lightning from the Kumo nin's place came towards him. Naruto weaved signs and a wind jutsu sprang forth.

The three Kumo nin didn't seem to have a counter jutsu, so they simply braced themselves. Naruto summoned a large portion of chakra and weaved a genjutsu around them. It didn't work on the one female but it worked on her temmates. Naruto engaged her into a taijutsu battle and she held up well. Still, she was beginning to tire and Naruto didn't have much time; Moriko was already gone. Naruto quickened the pace of his movements and she suddenly found herself on the receiving end of a well-aimed kick to the stomach. She flew against the wall and groaned in pain. Naruto took her collar in her shirt and stared her in the eyes with his cold blue ones.

"Why did you take Moriko-san? Where is she?" Naruto asked. She smirked and coughed blood in his face. He weaved another genjutsu around her, and this time it worked. Her eyes glazed over and her muscles relaxed.

"In exchange for you…we took her. She's at the bridge now at the next island over," she said.

"Why me?" Naruto asked.

"You're…the damned Yellow Flash's son and the jinchuuriki…" she said. Naruto gritted his teeth and knocked her unconscious. Naruto looked up and saw that it was getting to be dawn.

* * *

><p>Naruto ran out of the inn and ran to the water. He ran across the surface of the water. He thought he saw the island where the bridge was, but it was hard to tell the islands apart. Naruto raced from one island to the other, looking for the island where the bridge was to be built. It was around nine or ten when Naruto finally found the right island.<p>

Naruto looked around and tried to sense anyone's chakra, but he couldn't. He turned and saw a man with a huge sword and a boy around his age with Kiri-style clothing. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Where is Moriko-san?" Naruto asked.

"Moriko? Like I'd know," the man said. "But you're a Konoha ninja. I bet you're another pesky one that the damned bridge builder hired. Where are the others?"

"Like I'd know, Momochi Zabuza-san," Naruto said.  
>"Namikaze Naruto, huh? It's an honor to meet Konoha's most dangerous loyal Chuunin. Unless I'm wrong, the other one was Uchiha Itachi, wasn't it?" Zabuza asked.<p>

"Itachi is not in Konoha ranks. He hasn't been for nearly five years," Naruto said. "Now, where is—"

"Nii-chan!"

Naruto saw Takahiro running up to him. Naruto threw a kunai at his feet to stop him.

"Takahiro, don't get close. Kakashi-senpai, lend me a hand. Genin, protect the bridge builder," Naruto said. "Now!"

The Genin scrambled to protect the bridge builder as the mist thickened. They held kunai in their hands and steeled their nerves. Naruto and Kakashi stuck close to counter Zabuza while Haku managed to lure Sasuke and then Takahiro into his ice mirrors. Naruto was about to yell at him for following Haku, but he snapped back to focus when Zabuza's blade almost got him.

Once Kakashi summoned his dogs when he and Naruto had gained the upper hand against one of the Legendary Swordsmen, Zabuza was a bloody mess. Kakashi's hand crackled with the Raikiri and Naruto caught his breath. He glanced at Haku and froze as Haku's mirrors broke and Takahiro's body burned with the potent chakra of the Kyuubi. Naruto cursed as he ran over seemingly in slow motion and saw Sasuke on the ground with senbon sticking out of him.

Takahiro was charging at Haku and Naruto managed to release his kekkei genkai: chakra chains, in time. Takahiro screamed against them, feeling the rage of the Kyuubi as he recognized the chakra chains as the thing that had kept him sealed inside of Kushina. Haku looked surprised and then disappeared to protect Zabuza as his last act of loyalty to him from Kakashi's Raikiri.

Takahiro's eyes changed back to blue and he was fatigued as he looked at Naruto. Naruto fell to his knees and tried to remain conscious. This morning had been too hectic; Moriko was taken, he fought Zabuza, and restrained the Kyuubi.

"Nii-chan, what was that?" Takahiro asked. Naruto didn't respond, he was still struggling to remain conscious. The mist lifted and Zabuza had died next to Haku. Kakashi went over to Naruto as Takahiro was told to go to Sasuke.

Kakashi knelt to Naruto's level.

"Naruto, where is Moriko?" Kakashi asked.

"I have to go get her…stay by the Genin and don't come," Naruto stood shakily to his feet.

Two figures approached Naruto. They stopped a few feet away and Naruto weaved signs to activate a seal around them so Team 7 wouldn't interfere. Then he suddenly found himself kneeling and his head hurt a lot. _Did they kick me…? Too fast…_

"So you're not the jinchuuriki but you possess the same power _she_ had…you're even more useful than we thought! As promised," the Kumo nin grinned. "I get that you have to get his bitch to Kiri, so we'll escort you there and then if you don't want that blondie over there to be taken now, you'll come with us."

"So…in exchange for Takahiro's safety you want me?" Naruto asked, his brain not following fully. His eyes moved slowly to look at Team 7. Sasuke was coming to and his eyes widened as he saw Naruto being restrained by the Kumo nin.

"Yeah, but the kid's safety is only temporary. We'll come for him next," the Kumo nin said. Naruto sighed softly. _Tou-san…Kaa-san…forgive me._

"I'll go," Naruto said. "Let's escort Moriko-san to Kiri."

"Nii-chan! What are they talking about?! Don't go!" Takahiro fought against Kakashi's tight grip. Sasuke couldn't move from his sitting place and he glared at the Kumo nin.

Naruto looked at Kakashi and signed to him. _Protect Takahiro. No matter what._

Kakashi nodded and turned away as Naruto allowed himself to be led away. Once Naruto and the Kumo nin were out of sight, Kakashi let go of Takahiro. Takahiro whipped around and tried to stab Kakashi with a kunai. Kakashi easily caught it and held both of his arms.

"How could you?!" Takahiro yelled, tears running down his face.

"He made this choice on his own. Don't be selfish; he did this for you," Kakashi said. "But we need to time this properly. We can't apprehend them before they get to Kiri and it's preferable that we get him before he gets to Kumo," Kakashi said.


	7. Coveted

Lie no.7: Coveted

Naruto had regained his strength on the trip to Kirigakure. Naruto apologized that he couldn't walk her in further and that she didn't have the silk and stones she'd bought but she told him that it was fine and that he shouldn't have sacrificed so much.

"I guess it's a habit of mine, sacrificing so much," Naruto laughed a little. "Goodbye, Moriko-san."

With that, the Kumo nin dragged him away and slammed chakra repressing seals on him. Naruto felt the loss of so much that was once as his fingertips at once and it was nauseating. He coughed and the Kumo nin laughed. They tied his hands in front of him and blindfolded him and dragged him along with the rope that on one end tied his hands and on the other was held by the Kumo nin.

Naruto could tell they had left Kirigakure's area when his skin stopped feeling dew on it. He kept walking, unsure of his next step; it could be a step into a tree as a cruel joke or it could be into mud.

Either way, Naruto felt terrible. After many hours, they stopped and Naruto could feel there was a fire in front of them but he was restrained against a tree. His stomach was so painful; he needed to eat. Another hour passed and the fire had been put out and the Kumo nin were asleep.

Naruto didn't cry out; he didn't want to be beaten by the Kumo nin, who were already ruthless, for waking them up. He suffered silently, as every shinobi learns to do.

He felt something sticky touch his mouth. He turned away from it, but whoever was putting this object on his mouth was persistent.

"Eat."

Naruto did as he was told. He realized it was rice. It was plain, no seasoning. Naruto counted ten minutes of someone feeding him rice. The slight sound of a person sitting rang in his ears. Naruto dared speak:

"Who's there?"

"I see, chakra restraining seals. They must've been nauseating if you can't sense me. They don't look like they've been on long and considering how powerful they are," came a male voice carefully observing. "Tell me, why are you here?"

"Tell me who you are first," Naruto said.

"You were always the curious one," the voice sighed, but not in a sad way. "It's me."

"Me? That doesn't…" Naruto trailed off. He smiled. "It's been awhile."

"There's that smile. That's probably the first true smile in about five years," the male said.

"I'm here because they want my kekkei genkai. I traded myself for Takahiro's safety. I'm trusting Kakashi-senpai and Konoha to keep them both safe. But this is as hard a decision as you had to make," Naruto said sadly. "Itachi."

"How is Sasuke?"

"He's just as you planned. But he calls me Naruto-san and smiles and reveals soft spots to me. I'll try to keep it that way, for his sake," Naruto said.

"Do you want me to take off the seals?" Itachi asked.

"No. Kumo took me. If I run now, they're going to send more after Takahiro and me. I trust Kakashi-senpai's strength, but I don't think even he could go up against Kumo's army, if the Raikage sends that many," Naruto said.

"Naruto, don't underestimate Konoha. Let me help you," Itachi said as he pulled up Naruto's shirt and equalized the chakra in the seals and was able to pull them off. Itachi undid Naruto's binds and his blindfold. Naruto blinked to see Itachi's face, the bare outlines in the moonlight. Naruto suddenly vomited into the grass.

"Hey," Itachi said. "Calm down."

Naruto coughed. Itachi took his shoulders and stilled the red-haired shinobi.

"Are you sick?" Itachi asked. "I've never seen someone react this badly after their chakra reenters their coils…"

"And why is it that your lungs feel different…in a bad way?" Naruto asked, his hands on Itachi's chest, chakra faintly glowing on his hands.

"I think that makes two of us. Two men in their graves," Itachi laughed mirthlessly.

"Don't make it seem like we're about to die. We've got those mini versions of ourselves to protect," Naruto said.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is it that I can count your ribs? Are you not eating?" Itachi asked. "You have to eat."

"I was saving up for Takahiro and feeding him and the apartment and other expenses just pile up until I make dinner and I see only enough for him. We had a fight and he was being selfish but I regret it and…" Naruto trailed off. "I'm not making sense."

"Look into my eyes and I'll see what happened," Itachi said. Naruto looked up at Itachi's red eyes. Naruto felt Itachi look into his memories of the recent days and then it was over.

"I see. There's nothing you can do about it Naruto; you taught him to never go back on his words, didn't you? Naruto, from the looks of things, you are alone. Hold out your hand," Itachi said. Naruto did as he was told and Itachi placed his hands over his and focused his chakra. Naruto's hand burned on a single spot for a moment before Itachi stopped.

"A tattoo?"

"Naruto, you're not alone. The tattoo is a reminder of this. I'd like to spend more time with you, but I have to go. Stay well and I hope to meet with you again," Itachi said and disappeared into crows as dawn was again beginning to break.

Naruto saw the Kumo nin were incapacitated. Naruto smiled softly; Itachi had done this. _Thank you, Itachi._

* * *

><p>Naruto ran out of the forest, faintly sensing chakra. As he ran farther away from the Kumo nin, the chakra was beginning to get stronger. Hope was beginning to grow in his chest, his illness-ridden chest. He kept running and finally the tree line broke to reveal the gates of Kirigakure. Naruto walked up to the gates until a Kiri nin stopped him.<p>

"What business does a Konoha nin have here?" the man asked.

"Please tell Yamada Moriko-san that Namikaze Naruto is alright. Also, which way is Konoha?" Naruto asked.

"That way," the man pointed. "Three days."

"Thank you," Naruto bowed deeply and turned to run in Konoha's direction. He was glad he managed to escape the mist; it made him feel like he was being held back or something. He reached the edge of land and water. He looked around for a boat and sighed. There weren't any boats. Naruto supposed they were all with the bridge builder's port with all the excitement of such a bridge.

Then it hit him: he had to get that man, the Uzumaki. The man who was his mother's brother and Naruto promised he'd get him to Konoha.

Naruto wished he could increase his range of teleportation. He'd looked into the possibility of it and his father's notes about such an ability and he found that his father was only able to move as far as twice the village's diameter. Naruto had to agree with this; he too could only move twice the village's diameter. Meaning, from the distance of Hokage faces to the gates twice over.

As Naruto was forced to run across the water's surface for probably the millionth time, he wondered if he should teach any new jutsu to Takahiro. Takahiro was probably going to reject his help, even if he sucked a detecting genjutsu and could barely last in a taijutsu fight and his ninjutsu was limited to jutsu that required a lot of chakra if Naruto didn't want to go through the trouble of trying to help him with chakra control.

What about the Rasengan? That technically wasn't a traditional jutsu; it didn't need handsigns. Takahiro might just want to learn it if Naruto threw a hint in that the Yondaime Hokage knew this jutsu. Naruto smiled a little but his smile faded as he began to cough again. Naruto quickly did the math in his head, the rate of progression for this disease, the death rates, age factors, etc, and saw that he had perhaps four years, perhaps five, to live. Itachi probably had three.

Naruto gritted his teeth and kept running across the water's surface until he saw the island that had an aura of lavish spending and items. Naruto stopped running when he felt the soft sand beneath his shoes and began to search the forest for the man.

Just as he was told, the man was there.

"I was about to give up," the man said. Then he looked at Naruto and saw the mud and scrapes and bloodstains and bruises and…rice on him. From Naruto's face, he decided not to ask.

"Let's go," Naruto said. The man nodded and the two began to run across the water's surface.

"Conceal your chakra. Can you do that?" Naruto asked. The man nodded and Naruto was surprised at how well he did. Naruto could hardly sense any chakra. Naruto shook off his admiration and concealed his chakra, this time to the point where it was nonexistent unless you were looking for such a small amount.

Before they could continue, Naruto sensed more chakra, up ahead. Naruto took out a kunai and almost screamed in elation as he heard the normally cringe-making sound of a thousand birds, Chidori.

Still, the lightning user didn't know it was Naruto. Naruto smiled and raced towards him, wanting to see the surprise on his face.

"Naruto," Kakashi breathed. He eye-smiled and called out to the Genin. "Takahiro, give Sasuke the bet money."

"Bet?" Naruto asked.

"Who is that?" Kakashi asked.

"He's my uncle, but we'll do blood tests when he get back to Konoha, ne?" Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"Naruto, you know it's a hazard to bring in ninja on just their word on who they are," Kakashi sighed. "Come on, get in the boat. We're going back to Konoha."

Naruto offered to work the oars, but the red haired man insisted Naruto shouldn't push himself more and Naruto had disagreed, but in the inside, he was grateful and knew he'd pushed himself too hard. Naruto sighed in content and sat down with Kakashi to even out the weight of the boat.

"You're a mess. What happened?" Kakashi asked. Naruto looked at the sky and bit his lip. _I wish Itachi were here._

"At night, when we stopped after dropping off Moriko-san at Kirigakure's gates, they used powerful seals, Level 8 chakra repressing seals on me so quickly, you can imagine the consequences. I was a typical prisoner; they blindfolded me and tied my hands and dragged me to the middle of the forest. That night I spent the tree bark on my back. I couldn't sense chakra, even when someone approached me, and as you can see, fed me," Naruto said.

"Did they free you after feeding you?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah," Naruto breathed. "It's a been long day. A very, very, long day. Do you mind if I leave you alone with lookout while I sleep?"

Kakashi shook his head and Naruto stretched out with his head next to Takahiro's legs and his feet a couple inches away from Kakashi. As he was drifting off to sleep, he felt a damp cloth scrub at the mud on his shirt. He opened sleep-glazed eyes to see Takahiro pausing in shock as he saw his brother's chest. Naruto wasn't lying. Takahiro saw his brother staring and quickly finished scrubbing away mud that had seeped into his shirt. Then Naruto realized it was salty water; his wounds burned with pain from the salt in the water. He didn't complain. Takahiro lifted his hand and examined the tattoo.

"What's this?" Takahiro asked. Naruto was simply looking at him, not really comprehending what was happening.

"Naruto-san, where did you get the tattoo?" Sasuke asked, moving Naruto's head to look at him. Naruto's head began to hurt, on the inside. Sakura noticed how Naruto's face was flushed and how his eyes were unhealthily glazed.

"Hey, Naruto-kun has a fever," Sakura said. Once Takahiro had finished cleaning the mud and wounds, Sakura rinsed it in the water by the boat and wrung it out and placed it on Naruto's head. Naruto involuntarily smiled, feeling the pleasant cooling of the cloth. The Genin smiled back. Well, Sasuke smirked. Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but his common sense kicked in. What he was going to say was: _Itachi fed me rice as I was starving earlier._

But instead he said: "Thanks, you three."

The Genin nodded and Takahiro began to deny wanting to help him, saying how it was ruining his vision, seeing Naruto all dirty like that. Naruto smiled and said yet again was about to say something he would regret: _You're just like Kaa-san_. He closed his mouth and he stopped smiling. The Genin looked confused.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.

"The tattoo…" Naruto started. "Dammit." _I can't tell them…I can never tell anyone._

"Yeah, where did you get it? What's it supposed to be?" Sakura asked. In Naruto's state of fever, his emotions were let run rampant. Naruto began to cry, something he hadn't done in five years. Takahiro stared, Sakura didn't know how to react, and Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Naruto-san, that looks like my brother's Mangekyo Sharingan pattern. No, it's exactly that pattern. Why did he do it?" Sasuke asked, anger rising in his voice. At this, Naruto began to cry harder.  
>"Sasuke, let him alone. You're aware of how close they were, right?" Kakashi asked.<p>

"No. I thought they were just friendly because of Takahiro and I," Sasuke said.

"Naruto, do I have permission to tell them?" Kakashi asked.  
>"About what?" Naruto coughed from crying so much.<p>

"Your past with Itachi," Kakashi said.

"No one is supposed to know, Kakashi-senpai. How come you know? Nevermind. Just the big picture…" Naruto said, making a circle with his hands. Kakashi nodded.

"Itachi and Naruto served alongside each other in the Third Great Shinobi World War. Eventually, their friendship strengthened until the events of five years ago," Kakashi said. "I know it's short, but Naruto is only allowing me to say that, seeing how I've gotten such intimate information."

"They must've been so young…" Sakura noted.

"We were four," Naruto commented. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Naruto-san, answer me. Why did _he_ give you a tattoo? Is it a jutsu?" Sasuke demanded.  
>"Sasuke, be quiet. Can't you see a man with skills that could qualify to be an Elite Jounin like Kakashi-senpai is sulking over both his past and the problems right now and the tattoo and most importantly, sulking and crying like Takahiro used to do, right in front of mere Genin? Do you have any idea how humiliating that is? I can just hear her laughing…she's laughing at me…" Naruto wailed.<p>

"Takahiro, your brother is insane," Sasuke hissed. Takahiro looked just as shocked as he rest of them, except for Kakashi. _I'm never getting drunk unless it's around Naruto. I doubt anyone else would let me live it down, with all the regrets I have. I'm sure I'd look crazy if I got drunk. _

"Nii-chan, who is she?" Takahiro asked.

"She?!" Naruto asked. "No one."

"Liar."

"Pshhh," Naruto turned around.

"Is it Kaa-san?" Takahiro asked.

"_I don't know_," Naruto said. He was grateful that he was delirious, and could play that card well. He sighed and turned around with his head next to Kakashi and his feet next to the Genin. Naruto then fell asleep immediately.

* * *

><p>Swaying. A soft swaying. A creak open and light flooded into blue eyes. Too bright. The eyes shut tight and from the soft tickling sensation on his face and the warmth of another person, the conclusion was that <em>I'm on a person. They're carrying me.<em>

The blue eyes opened again, slowly. They adjusted to the light and blue eyes moved to the left to see a black eye staring back and silver hair tickling his cheek. Naruto blinked and realized everything at once: he's being carried by Kakashi.

"We're almost home," Kakashi said. The moment those sounds hit Naruto's ears, his head began to hurt, his ears rang, his stomach felt terrible. The rest of his body felt sore and painful at every sway. He felt like passing out he felt so terrible. He could feel his shoulders try to cover up a shake from a chill. The air felt so cold…

"Are you okay?" another man asked. Naruto looked to his left away from Kakashi and saw a man with red hair, as red as his own. Naruto tried to recall his name.

"Yeah. Kakashi, you can let me go," Naruto said. Kakashi eye-smiled at him.

"You'd fall face first if I let you go. I'm not that inattentive as to not notice your state," Kakashi said.

"Kakashi-senpai, I'm fine. Please let me down," Naruto said. It took all his willpower to keep his voice from shaking.

"If you say so," Kakashi stopped running and let Naruto down. Naruto could see the familiar gates of Konoha and thanked Kami that he was close enough to the three-pronged kunai in his apartment. He felt the ground under his feet and tried to take a step on his own. His legs failed and his knees gave out and he began to fall. He grinned and vanished.

"Nii-chan, no fair," Takahiro growled as he began to run after his brother.

In the apartment, Naruto fell onto the floor, hard. He gritted his teeth and forced himself up. The walls and ceiling began to move and Naruto cursed his fever for making ridiculous hallucinations. He managed to sit himself up in a kneeling position and drag himself to sit at the table.

He looked at the loose papers that decorated the table and read them.

_This is Takahiro's report card from a year ago…_

Naruto sighed as he saw Takahiro had failed in every subject. As he was carefully reading the teacher comments, Takahiro burst in. He caught his breath and suddenly whipped around and pulled the photo album out. He tried to see the pictures, but Naruto had sealed all but one picture up in the back: Naruto holding a baby Takahiro.

"Come on, Nii-chan! Unseal them!" Takahiro whined.

"No," Naruto smiled and went back to reading.

Takahiro suddenly grinned and went to the kitchen. Naruto glanced at him.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked. Takahiro turned a burner on and blue fire flickered from it. He held the album above it and to his shock, none of the photos were burning. Takahiro put it right on top of the fire and nothing would burn.

"Nii-chan!" Takahiro whined. Naruto cocked his head innocently.

"Why do you even want to see those worthless pictures anyway? Have you considered I've sealed them from you for a reason? Could the reason be, perhaps, for your own good?" Naruto asked quietly, his kind demeanor ebbing away to a serious one.

"Because Kakashi-sensei said you were a shell with nothing but me. He said that you have no friends and you're depressed and you're going to leave me because you're going to be in ANBU," Takahiro blurted out.  
>"He did, did he?" Naruto said. "He's right."<p>

"W-what? But…but…you're the best ninja," Takahiro said. "And what about ANBU?"

"Because I'm the best is why I'm here. And that's also why no one else is with me. I've considered joining ANBU and seeing how you're able to take care of yourself, more or less, I should probably join. Takahiro, I'm a living relic of the past. I know Konoha's secrets and I intend to die with them. Don't let me bring your life down. You've got potential to be an even greater ninja than I am and you've got comrades that are willing to die for you. Don't let that go to waste; in the shinobi world that's something precious, something so many lose. But don't worry, I'll die soon enough to not burden you," Naruto smiled a sad smile.

"Nii-chan, don't say that! Don't join ANBU! Don't leave me! You're not a burden…you're an idol to me. I want to live up to be as great as you," Takahiro said.

Naruto stared at Takahiro. _Takahiro's words are the same as my thoughts when I saw Tou-san and Kaa-san die, not to leave me. It's not like I'm in the brink of death. Takahiro will be fine…right?_

"Nii-chan!" Takahiro threw himself at Naruto, who tried to move out of the way, but his legs were still weak. Naruto lay painfully on the ground, barely able to move as his head throbbed with more pain and Takahiro sat on his legs.

"Don't leave me!" Takahiro begged, burying his head into Naruto's soft red hair.

"Takahiro, you're heavy," Naruto said. Takahiro looked at Naruto and got off. Naruto flipped over and struggled to stand. Takahiro ended up having to help him.

"You're…light," Takahiro said as he helped Naruto lay on his bed. Naruto closed his eyes and felt himself relax for the first time in days.


End file.
